Slides of a presentation to the Graphic Social Science Network, 24 November 2017, on the use of photo elicitation in qualitative research with women with Turner Syndrome, who may have mild cognitive impairments, and mothers of girls with Turner Syndrome. Reflections on effectiveness and choice of method, and other adaptions needed, as well as how the research was conducted.

1. Using photo elicitation as an accommodation for
people with a mild cognitive impairment
Kriss Fearon

2. • Who participants are and why PE interviews
were chosen
• How successful was it?
• Additional adaptions

3. The participants
• Women with Turner Syndrome; mums of girls with TS
• TS is:
– A chromosome disorder. 90% of girls are born without
ovaries, or their ovaries fail before puberty.
– For most, pregnancy is only possible via egg donation
– Associated with a profile of cognitive and physical issues
– A spectrum condition; varies greatly
– Study includes mums
• Study explores decision making process, attitudes to
risk and views on family

4. Issues to address
• A way to address a sensitive topic and potential
cognitive issues
• TS is associated with:
– non-verbal communication, working memory, attention
span, time management, social anxiety
– Shy, low self esteem
• Spectrum condition, so varies greatly
• Published research rarely describes adaptions to
research methods
– Information from TS charities, medical experts, university
disability advisers

5. • Photos communicate in a different way than words
– Helps participants put their thoughts into words (Harper, 2002)
– May evoke perspectives that are not available through verbal
questioning alone
• Requires planning in advance
– Participants give more in-depth, thoughtful responses
– Useful for time-management; interview agenda
• Using participants’ images gives them control over
the content and the role of ‘expert’
– Aim is to engender confidence and build rapport.
Advantages of PE

6. How it went
• ‘It’s been a really, really helpful process to go
through the photos, and sort of put my story
into, to put it in some sort of order that would
make sense to somebody else.’

8. Additional adaptions
• Recruitment and communication
– Ask participants if accommodations are needed
– Provide PIS, consent form and other docs in several formats, eg video
• Conduct of the research interview
– Face to face; topic agenda
– A private and safe location, session length, breaks
– Use plain English, avoiding metaphor, irony or humour
– Communicate in words, rather than with facial expressions or body
language alone.
– Speak face to face, so the participant can lip read if necessary
• Follow up
– Able to submit additional thoughts

9. Aldridge, J., 2007. Picture this: the use of participatory photographic
research methods with people with learning disabilities. Disability &
Society, 22(1), pp.1-17. Vancouver
Allen, L., 2008. Young people's ‘agency’ in sexuality research using
visual methods. Journal of Youth Studies, 11(6), pp.565-577.
Clark-Ibáñez, M., 2004. Framing the social world with photo-elicitation
interviews. American behavioral scientist, 47(12), pp.1507-1527.
Vancouver
Harper, D. (2002). Talking about pictures: A case for photo elicitation.
Visual studies, 17(1), pp.13-26.
Liebenberg, L., Didkowsky, N. and Ungar, M., 2012. Analysing image-
based data using grounded theory: the Negotiating Resilience Project.
Visual Studies, 27(1), pp.59-74. Vancouver
Luttrell, W. (2010). ‘A camera is a big responsibility’: a lens for
analysing children's visual voices. Visual studies, 25(3), pp.224-237
Wiles, R., Prosser, J., Bagnoli, A., Clark, A., Davies, K., Holland, S. and
Renold, E. (2008). Visual ethics: Ethical issues in visual research
References

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