<p>In this paper, critical variables in participatory research are addressed from a multidisciplinary perspective on the basis of experiences from previous research projects in educational sciences, psychology, and sociology. An overview of multidisciplinary perspectives on participatory research is provided, including key factors for (successful) participatory processes on an individual and collective level. With that, we aim to stimulate future research on participatory processes between science and practice by identifying critical success factors that might be crucial in research planning, implementation and evaluation of multidisciplinary participatory processes. This multidisciplinary approach should also help academic researchers from other disciplines to implement multidisciplinary participatory research.</p>