Experiences of Taking and Sharing Photographs as Homework for an Emotional Coping Skills Group

Introduction:
This thesis explores the use of photographs in homework tasks within a psychological intervention. The research was influenced by photo-elicitation research and methods such as Photovoice that use photographs as a tool to explore participant experiences. Visual images convey information in a manner that is processed differently to verbal or written accounts and photographs are observed to be a useful communicative tool, yet there is little empirical research investigating photograph use within therapy. This is a novel project exploring participant experiences of taking and sharing photographs within an emotional coping skills group intervention.

Method:
Using purposeful sampling, six participants were recruited from an emotional coping skills group in an NHS service in West Yorkshire. Photographs were used in the group to augment the homework tasks and feedback. The participants consisted of five service-users and one group-facilitator. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using the photographs taken for the group as prompts. The interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The photographs and information from group evaluation forms were used to support the interpretation of the data.

Results:
Six superordinate themes were identified from the data: (i) Expectations and assumptions, (ii) What is in an image? (iii) Emotions and images, (iv) Therapeutic impact, (v) Power and control, and (vi) Barriers. These were informed by 15 subordinate themes.

Discussion:
The taking and sharing of photographs had a number of therapeutic benefits, including supporting understanding and connection within the group. Participants tended to use photographs to capture positive rather than negative experiences and reported challenges to sharing such as feeling vulnerable. The study suggests that using photographs in therapy could support communication and exploration of experiences that may be difficult to express using words. The strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, and areas for future research are identified.