Step 6: Option to invite people to share in discussion

By Dr. Lorenzo N. Hopper?

Incorporating discussion into a photovoice study not only enriches the data, but also enhances the participatory and empowering nature of the method. –L.N.H?

The photovoice journey is a dynamic process, with each step playing a crucial role in shaping the depth and richness of the research product. From the initial stages of learning about photovoice and recruiting participants to the powerful moments of sharing the photos and final reflections, each phase is essential in capturing the authentic voices and experiences of the community you are working with and within. Step 6, inviting others to share in discussion, stood out as a pivotal moment in my study – one that offered my research team profound lessons. Our team discovered the importance of thoughtfully inviting others to engage in discussions about the selected photos and emerging themes, revealing the true impact of shared dialogue on the study’s outcomes.?

For this post, I would like to share about my own work “A Picture of [Perfect] Mental Health.” This project uses photovoice to investigate mental health management strategies employed by first-generation college students at a large public research University in the United States. As a first-generation college graduate myself, I am aware of the unique challenges that these students face in navigating college all while attempting to maintain equilibrium in their mental health. On top of normal first-year college challenges, the recent Covid-19 pandemic completely disrupted traditional methods of learning and social interaction, exacerbating existing mental health challenges. Student participants were recruited and asked to spend a month capturing photographs that represent key stressors or challenges to their mental health, as well as places they go and things they do to alleviate stress and find balance. Some examples of their submissions are below.?

Once the images were collected and interviews conducted, the research team began to plan for an event to share our findings and engage the community in discussion. Of course, we wanted to share some preliminary findings with the participants to make sure we were representing their voices in an authentic way, but we also wanted to engage in discussion with other people in the campus community. Before the event, I invited a few campus partners and colleagues to hear our preliminary findings and engage in discussions about the project. I quickly realized how beneficial it was to take the time for these conversations, for example, these conversations greatly enriched our interpretations, fostered inclusivity, and helped us to create a space for campus-wide dissemination.?

Here are a few things we learned from this experience that you may consider during the process of inviting others to engage in discussions about the photovoice project.??

Lessons Learned??

1. Invite a Diverse Audience / Value Diverse Perspectives: We wanted to make sure that we engaged a diverse audience in order to foster rich discussion. We reached out to other students, faculty, staff, administration, and mental health professionals, inviting them to see the images and discuss our findings. Their varied backgrounds and perspectives added great value as they reflected on the images and related them to their own experiences. This inclusivity helped validate the experiences of this group of students and ensured that our findings resonated with a wide campus community.?
2. Lean on Partnerships and Collaboration: A great place to start when thinking about whom to invite and how to spread the word is to lean on existing partnerships. For my study, I reached out to the Office of Transition and Success. We were already in discussions about formulating a committee to support first generation students. The leadership team was thrilled to view the images and read the participant narratives. They offered great advice on whom we should invite to the exhibit event and gave useful recommendations on how to design caption cards for the images.?
3. Allow for Reflexive Discussions: While you will want to present your findings to kick off the discussion, I recommend that you encourage your attendees to reflect on how the findings relate to their own experiences and perspectives. Ask questions like, "How do these findings resonate with your own experiences or the experiences of your students?" or "What do these results say about the broader issues we’ve explored on our campus?" This approach makes your time more conversational and less like a research presentation.??
4. Balance Research and Action in Discussions: You will want to make sure that you use your time wisely while sharing your findings and discussing next steps. Attendees may offer great suggestions on how to exhibit and disseminate your photovoice findings in the community. For our study, we were encouraged to continue to invite community members to share in discussions at the exhibit event. At the event, as participants walked around the room, we added large poster paper to a few areas and asked if the findings resonated and what might be done on campus to address student mental health. This ended up adding great value to our project by transforming our exhibit event into a space for co-interpretation. The event encouraged collaborative solutions to how these students might be supported while on campus. We would not have taken this approach without these discussions about the project.?

I hope you find these tips helpful as you complete your own work! I embarked on this journey feeling like I knew so much about the Photovoice method as well as the first-generation student experience. Along the way, I learned more than I could have imagined, both about what the research uncovered, as well as how to do the work. Incorporating discussion into a photovoice study not only enriches the data, but also enhances the participatory and empowering nature of the method.???

Read more about Dr. Hopper’s A Picture of [Perfect] Mental Health study at the links below:?

• Photovoice Worldwide Blog Post ?

• Niner Times Article ?

About the Author

Dr. Lorenzo Hopper is an Assistant Professor and Honors Faculty in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Hopper earned his PhD in Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill. His current research focuses on 1) utilizing community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships to address Maternal and Child Health issues that impact families of color; and 2) improving student mental wellness among first-generation college students. Dr. Hopper centers his research, teaching philosophy, and commitments to service around health equity. In his role at UNC Charlotte, Dr. Hopper serves as faculty advisor for First Gen Niners and is actively involved in curriculum development, accreditation, and student mentorship.??

Learn more about Dr. Hopper at his UNC Charlotte Faculty Page or you can follow him on X @LorenzoNHopper or connect on Linkedin .?

Recommended Resources for Step 6: "Option to invite people to share in discussion"

• Community Tool Box Section 20. Implementing Photovoice in Your Community?
• Bespoke Photovoice Training ?

• Nykiforuk, C. I., Vallianatos, H., & Nieuwendyk, L. M. (2011). Photovoice as a Method for Revealing Community Perceptions of the Built and Social Environment. International journal of qualitative methods, 10(2), 103–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940691101000201 ???

To learn more about the Photovoice method, see PhotovoiceWorldwide’s fall 2024 Professional Development Trainings and Workshops:?

• Key Themes in Photovoice Research: September 2024 ??

• Photovoice Facilitation 101: The Basics: September 2024 ??

• Photovoice Conference: October 16-19, 2024 ??

• Talking with Pictures: Photovoice: January 2025 ?

Are you or your team interested in being mentored in the photovoice method? Email us about your interests at [email protected] ?