Qualitative research, psychology and mental health: analysing subjectivity

Abstract

This paper explores the role of qualitative research (1) in psychology for informing the practice and research of mental health professionals. It is argued that mental health practice benefits from small-scale in-depth studies as an integral component of practitioners' broader repertoires of research-based knowledge. The strengths of a qualitative psychological approach for analysing human subjectivity are emphasised as pivotal to mental health (i.e. individuals' sense of self, experience and the meaning of their worlds). The key position of such data for explaining mental health issues is demonstrated using both reference to research and theory and examples from original qualitative data.