Photo-elicitation and time-lining to enhance the research interview: exploring the quarterlife crisis of young adults in India and the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to convey our experience of using photo-elicitation and time-lining to enhance the research interview. We reflect on a study on the “quarterlife crisis” in India and the United Kingdom. Participants were ages 22–30 and self-defined as having experienced difficulties “finding their place in the world.” There were 16 British (8 women, 8 men) and 8 Indian participants (4 women, 4 men). First, we consider how photo-elicitation proved highly compatible with our method of analysis, interpretative phenomenological analysis, through affording a deep connection with participant experience. Second, we explore how participants engaged with photo-elicitation and time-lining, providing examples of image content (events and feelings), image form (literal and symbolic), and creative use of timelines. Third, we reflect on how photo-elicitation and time-lining appeared to enhance participant agency, have a therapeutic value for participants, and provide particularly rich material for analysis.

KEYWORDS:

• Interviewing
• lived experience
• phenomenology
• photo-elicitation
• qualitative methods
• timelines
• visual methods
• young adult

Notes

1. Name of a television series.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Raginie Duara

Raginie Duara, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Department Coordinator in the Department of Psychology, Royal Global University, Assam (India), and Research Fellow, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

Siobhan Hugh-Jones

Siobhan Hugh-Jones, PhD, is an Associate Professor in health psychology, in the School of Psychology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

Anna Madill

Anna Madill, PhD, is a Professor, Chair in Qualitative Inquiry, and Deputy Head in the School of Psychology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.