Venturing into the visual voice: combining photos and interviews in phenomenological inquiry around marginalisation and chronic illness

ABSTRACT

In this article, we present a reflection on the research process of combining photographs with phenomenologically oriented interviews. Two studies in the field of chronic illness with marginalised individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* people living with MS; men diagnosed with breast cancer) are employed to illustrate a range of conceptual, methodological and pragmatic issues. Both studies draw upon an integrative theoretical framework within a critical health psychology epistemological paradigm informed by phenomenological psychology and visual methodologies. The data collected for both studies have been analysed through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). We offer some thoughts regarding certain challenges and opportunities of synergising verbal and visual data and illustrate our arguments through a series of examples from the two studies, which are critically discussed. We argue that qualitative research in psychology benefits from an enhanced multimethodological approach employing existential phenomenological psychology and visual methodologies, especially when exploring chronic illness in marginalised communities, and we outline benefits for the wider community of qualitative researchers in psychology.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic illness
• critical health psychology
• photo-interviews
• phenomenology
• IPA
• visual methodologies

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants of both studies who shared their time and aspects of their life-stories. We would also like to thank Professor Julie Fish and Dr. Diane Wildbur for both their support and insightful feedback on some of the material featured in this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Periklis Papaloukas

Periklis Papaloukas (MSc) is a PhD candidate at De Montfort University. He has an MSc in Health Psychology. His research interests focus primarily on critical health psychology, chronic illness, sexual health, LGBT health, and qualitative research methods.

Kerry Quincey

Kerry Quincey (MSc, BSc Hons) is also a PhD candidate at De Montfort University. Kerry’s research interests include health inequalities, gendered conditions, psycho-oncology and qualitative approaches.

Iain R. Williamson

Iain R. Williamson (MSc, PhD, CPsychol) is Principal Lecturer in Health Psychology at De Montfort University in Leicester. He has been applying a range of qualitative research methodologies to the study of health and illness for over twenty years.