Thread by @Joni_Coleman

I am in the #WCPG2022 IDEA plenary, which discusses the need and approaches to decolonising psychiatric genetics. Panel members are Olivia Matshabane, Paola Giusti-Rodriguez @paolagiustirodriguez, @hailianghuang, and @MeeraPurushott1. Chairs are Lea Davis and John Nurnberger.

[I will tweet as much as I can here, but a discussion is always more challenging to tweet]

First question highlights the impact of colonialism in research. This includes lack of resources and support for ECRs, the need for engaging with and working alongside studied groups throughout the research process, including subsequent data storage, access and usage. #WCPG2022

Leadership is also raised - particularly the issue of external scientists failing to appreciate the sociocultural context of where the research is done, and generating conclusions that are incorrect or stigmatising #WCPG2022

Return to the idea of support for ECRs - part of the impact of colonialism has been the imposition of more hurdles for local ECRs, needing to continually prove themselves on a sociocultural level even before having to prove themselves on a scientific one #WCPG2022

Local understanding is important across research, from the terms and labels used in the research through to the processes of delivering and sharing research. Need for respect and communication, but also for promoting and ensuring local leadership #WCPG2022

What does decolonisation mean in this context? Power imbalance across history that needs to be addressed - in part this can be through equal engagement across groups. Also need to appreciate local context and needs, from the intellectual to the practical #WCPG2022

Academic credit varies considerably across countries - credit is challenging regardless, but need fair ways of allocating credit (and again understanding local contexts) #WCPG2022

Decolonisation is a long term student movement, beginning in South Africa and now globally. #WCPG2022

Lack of representation of people in LMICs in genetic reference risks medical inequalities #wcpg2022

Framework for decolonisation - self, research, access, partnership, inclusion. Needs to be multidisciplinary and bidirectional, involving stakeholders across life experiences as well as across academic disciplines #WCPG2022

(Just to highlight paper from panellist Olivia Matshabane): nature.com/articles/s4156…

Need cultural competence and cultural humility. That extends to the terms and concepts we use - for example, no specific terms for schizophrenia etc. in Xhosa (just mental illness as a general term) #WCPG2022

Currebt systems for credit and dissemination is text-based, which isn't culturally universal - other cultures tend to disseminate orally. Language is also important - English far over used in scientific discourse over others. Need local language papers #WCPG2022

Also just racism - judging competence according to ethnicity of names, the request for "native speakers" to review papers etc. #WCPG2022

What partnerships work well? @H3Africa - focus on African-led scientific and infrastructural development, with African contexts and sensitivities. Need to learn from such projects and establish similarly successful efforts in psych genomics globally #WCPG2022

@LAGCPsychGene: learning what works. Lots of interest in collaboration, increasing understanding of needs. Funding is a challenge, much more investment available from US. Establishing presence in countries and growing from there in a targeted way is effective #WCPG2022