Narrative Picturing: A New Strategy for Qualitative Data Collection

Abstract

The use of qualitative research designs has been gaining rapid momentum and support across a variety of disciplines. Although methods of data collection and analysis vary within and between perspectives of each discipline, in one way or another, most rely on obtaining some kind of a narrative, as a means for gaining insight into phenomena. This article outlines a strategy that the authors have been developing and have found useful in narrative inquiry. Although as health care professionals they are primarily concerned with uncovering the realm of meanings that individuals create and draw on in health/illness transformations, they believe that the data generated from linking image formation to narrative expression can provide fruitful information. The aim here is to present the background, use, development, and basic steps of what the authors call "narrative picturing," as well as invite critique and stimulate further development.

Dialysis-dependency: The reformulated or remnant person

“…Stories were collected through 2 to 5 interviews, that varied between 2 to 10 hours, over 2 to 5 weeks, which was determined by the participants when they felt they had conveyed their story.The terms 'narrative' and 'story' are used synonymously in this paper, which is consistent with several other researchers (see Polkinghorne, 1988;Baumeister and Newman, 1994;Berger 1997;Stuhlmiller and Thorsen, 1997). Through extensive fieldwork, over 18 months in 5 Renal Units, the researcher was immersed in the world of dialysis-dependency before, during and after the interviews.…”

The Search for Safety, Control, and Voice for Mothers Living With the Legacy of Childhood Violence Experiences

“…19,20 Narrative research explores how stories reveal the social worlds of people, their perceptions of agency, and their internalized or performed versions of life. 21 This study is a narrative inquiry informed by the triangulation of critical, feminist, and symbolic interaction lenses.…”

Disconfirmed in one's otherness: A comparison between the nurse's view of the patient's past, present and future and the patient's own view of the past, present and future

“…Narratives can also stimulate dialogue and, in order to make a narrative more ''dynamic'', narrative picturing interviews can be used (Stuhlmiller, 1994). Narrative picturing (Stuhlmiller, 1994;Stuhlmiller & Thorsen, 1997) comprises methods developed by therapists (Gerbode, 1989) for use when treating patients with traumatic experiences, and they have been shown to be effective in that clients project experiences/episodes in the picture in a way they would not have thought of themselves. The method synthesizes experiences and understanding of the world in terms of the human ability to create mental images or see in the ''mind's eye'', that is, to retrieve pre-reflective or pre-linguistic information (Samuels & Samuels, 1975).…”

“…Asking the respondent to describe their pictures then organizes the information into personal narratives that can be used as data in qualitative analysis (Stuhlmiller, 1996). According to Stuhlmiller and Thorsen (1997), narrative picturing is comprised of six steps:…”

“…The specific selection criterion for the patients was that they had been on the ward for at least six months and for the staff that they were each respective patient's contact person. A summary of the background data is shown in Tables I and II. Interviews using a narrative picturing technique (Stuhlmiller & Thorsen, 1997) were performed in a reception room at the ward. The interviews began with the collection of background data (see Tables I and II), and information about the diagnosis was collected from the nurse and validated by checking each patient's medical notes.…”