What matters to me? Photovoice with people living with severe mental illness
Loading...
Other Title
Authors
Roberts, Louise
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Master of Occupational Therapy
Grantor
Otago Polytechnic
Date
2021
Supervisors
Robinson, Rita
Butler, Mary
Butler, Mary
Type
Masters Thesis
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
New Zealand
mental health services
people with severe mental illness
user engagement
consultation
co-design
participatory documentary photography
identity
narrative inquiry
mental health services
people with severe mental illness
user engagement
consultation
co-design
participatory documentary photography
identity
narrative inquiry
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Roberts, L. (2021). What matters to me? Photovoice with people living with severe mental illness. (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Occupational Therapy). Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.34074/thes.5642
Abstract
This research aimed to engage with long term services users with severe or serious mental illness whose voices have traditionally been silenced to add to the growing body of knowledge as to how these identified gaps can be addressed.
Four participants who attend a day service were issued with cameras and asked to photograph ‘What Matters to Me?’ in their everyday life. The question was a deliberate attempt to usurp the medical dialogue ‘What is a Matter?’ Participants were issued with disposable cameras and the photographs formed the basis for individual interviews. Thematic analysis from a descriptive methodology identified themes which were discussed through the lens of the recovery framework CHIME (Connection, Hope and optimism, Identity Meaning, Empowerment).
Findings illustrate that participants identified home, and homemaking, the things they do and the people in their life as what matters. Contrary to much of the literature, participants articulated multiple positive identities viewing an illness identity as only a small part of self. Access to occupations and the importance of narrative and narrative continuity appear to be important aspects of recovery aligning well with the occupational therapy concepts of occupational justice and ‘doing with’.
Publisher
Permanent link
Link to ePress publication
DOI
https://doi.org/10.34074/thes.5642
Copyright holder
Author
Copyright notice
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International