A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia

Accepted methods of enquiry to address qualitative research questions are focus groups and interviews, enabling access to the experiences, opinions, and perspectives of participants. However use of these methods with people with dementia is problematic because this condition can impair verbal commun...

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Main Authors: Sarah Kate Smith, Gail Ann Mountain, Rebecca Jane Hawkins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2023-06-01
Series:International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231184122
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author Sarah Kate Smith
Gail Ann Mountain
Rebecca Jane Hawkins
author_facet Sarah Kate Smith
Gail Ann Mountain
Rebecca Jane Hawkins
author_sort Sarah Kate Smith
collection DOAJ
description Accepted methods of enquiry to address qualitative research questions are focus groups and interviews, enabling access to the experiences, opinions, and perspectives of participants. However use of these methods with people with dementia is problematic because this condition can impair verbal communication in addition to other domains. These challenges can have a significant impact when trying to obtain insight from an individual through conversation and discussion. As researchers, we should be creating alternative methods that place equal importance on behaviour that is non-verbal as well as verbal. This contribution highlights the need for the advancement of creative qualitative methods drawing on lessons learned of the benefits and challenges during the development of a novel approach to support the use of visual methods in dementia research. By focussing on all that is retained and done well, emphasising individual strengths and abilities, offers an increasingly prevalent alternative to existing loss-deficit models that have characterised dementia research in the past. This approach highlights the importance and appropriateness of visual methods in enabling meaning and transparency throughout the research process from ethical approval and consent procedures through to the collection, analysis, dissemination, and impact of the research data.
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spelling doaj.art-21afeb9cf5c34154a0adc220815bc7ed2023-06-30T13:03:35ZengSAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods1609-40692023-06-012210.1177/16094069231184122A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with DementiaSarah Kate SmithGail Ann MountainRebecca Jane HawkinsAccepted methods of enquiry to address qualitative research questions are focus groups and interviews, enabling access to the experiences, opinions, and perspectives of participants. However use of these methods with people with dementia is problematic because this condition can impair verbal communication in addition to other domains. These challenges can have a significant impact when trying to obtain insight from an individual through conversation and discussion. As researchers, we should be creating alternative methods that place equal importance on behaviour that is non-verbal as well as verbal. This contribution highlights the need for the advancement of creative qualitative methods drawing on lessons learned of the benefits and challenges during the development of a novel approach to support the use of visual methods in dementia research. By focussing on all that is retained and done well, emphasising individual strengths and abilities, offers an increasingly prevalent alternative to existing loss-deficit models that have characterised dementia research in the past. This approach highlights the importance and appropriateness of visual methods in enabling meaning and transparency throughout the research process from ethical approval and consent procedures through to the collection, analysis, dissemination, and impact of the research data.https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231184122
spellingShingle Sarah Kate Smith
Gail Ann Mountain
Rebecca Jane Hawkins
A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
International Journal of Qualitative Methods
title A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
title_full A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
title_fullStr A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
title_short A Novel Approach to Support the Use of Visual Methods when Researching with People Living with Dementia
title_sort novel approach to support the use of visual methods when researching with people living with dementia
url https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231184122
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