Photo-Elicitation technique: utility and challenges in clinical research

Abstract

Photo-elicitation interview techniques, a method in which researchers incorporate images to enrich the interview experience, have been gaining traction in numerous spheres of research over the last two decades. Little is, however, written about the utility of the technique in studies involving vulnerable populations in clinical contexts. Drawing on research where researcher-generated photographs were used to elicit mothers’ experiences of pain and perceptions about use of pain-relieving strategies in critically ill infants, we aim to demonstrate (a) how the method can be used to generate harmonized and detailed accounts of experiences from diverse groups of participants of limited literacy levels, (b) the ethical and methodological consideration when employing photo-elicitation interview techniques and the (c) possible limitations of employing photo-elicitation interview techniques in clinical research.