Expanding the methodological repertoire of participatory research into homelessness: The utility of the mobile phone diary

Abstract

Participatory research methodologies have expanded the opportunities for critical, emancipatory and democratic health and social work research. However, their practical application in research with vulnerable participants has historically been challenging due to ethical, practical and theoretical concerns. Individuals who are homeless are typically seen as 'hard-to-reach', transient, 'hidden' and even chaotic participant populations. Unsurprisingly, examples of the use of innovative participatory research techniques with those groups have been relatively scarce.This paper aimed to address this gap by discussing the application of one such technique-the mobile phone diary-in research with multiply disadvantaged homeless adults. Diary methods are situated within the qualitative research on health, illness and social marginality and the enhanced capabilities of the mobile phone diary are highlighted. The author illustrates the application of the mobile phone diary in his participatory research on the everyday life narratives of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) who were homeless. The process of designing the mobile phone diary is detailed. Following this, participant testimonies of their use of the mobile phone diary are presented. They demonstrate the participatory and inclusive nature, as well as the cathartic and empowering potential, of this technique. The methodological contributions and challenges and the theoretical generativity of the mobile phone diary method are discussed. The mobile phone diary is a feasible approach for eliciting evocative, contextualised and nuanced accounts of the lived experience of homelessness, social isolation, coping and recovery.

‘I’m Gonna Tell You about How Mrs Rona Has Affected Me’. Exploring Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in North East England: A Qualitative Diary-Based Study

“…An emerging evidence base suggests that diaries can yield rich, complex layers of understanding, particularly with marginalised groups or where topics may be difficult to discuss face to face [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Diaries may also facilitate prolonged engagement with research participants, where people may have difficulty articulating themselves, enhancing rigour, quality and trustworthiness of data collected [ 27 , 28 ].…”

Practitioners’ and Policymakers’ Successes, Challenges, Innovations, and Learning in Promoting Children’s Well-being During COVID-19: Protocol for a Multinational Smartphone App Survey

“…Harnessing the capabilities of mobile phone devices has become the cornerstone of innovative research methodologies for the remote collection of qualitative and quantitative data, including in lowand middle-income countries, during this time [12]. The use of mobile phones for gathering qualitative and quantitative data across a range of geographical settings has been demonstrated to be feasible and effective [13,14]. Mobile phones are flexible, affordable, and naturalistic devices, which makes them a powerful tool for generating rich, highly contextualized insights, including in hard-to-reach or vulnerable populations [15][16][17][18].…”

“…The use of mobile phones for gathering qualitative and quantitative data across a range of geographical settings has been demonstrated to be feasible and effective [ 13 , 14 ]. Mobile phones are flexible, affordable, and naturalistic devices, which makes them a powerful tool for generating rich, highly contextualized insights, including in hard-to-reach or vulnerable populations [ 15 - 18 ].…”

“…Beyond enabling the generation of substantive findings in the health and social sciences, certain mobile methods such as mobile phone diaries and other free-text response formats have shown intrinsic benefits for study participants [ 14 , 19 ]. Examples include increased autonomy, enhanced opportunities for self-expression and reflection, and more acceptable communication of sensitive topics and in high-stress environments [ 12 , 14 ].…”

Practitioners’ and Policymakers’ Successes, Challenges, Innovations, and Learning in Promoting Children’s Well-being During COVID-19: Protocol for a Multinational Smartphone App Survey (Preprint)

“…Beyond enabling the generation of substantive findings in the health and social sciences, certain mobile methods such as mobile phone diaries and other free-text response formats have shown intrinsic benefits for study participants [14,19]. Examples include increased autonomy, enhanced opportunities for self-expression and reflection, and more acceptable communication of sensitive topics and in high-stress environments [12,14].…”