Expanding the methodological repertoire of participatory research into homelessness: the utility of the mobile phone diary

Karadzhov, D. (2021) Expanding the methodological repertoire of participatory research into homelessness: the utility of the mobile phone diary. Qualitative Social Work, 20(3), pp. 813-831. (doi: 10.1177/1473325020913904)

Abstract

Participatory research methodologies have expanded the opportunities for critical, emancipatory and democratic health and social work research. However, their practical application in research with vulnerable participants has historically been challenging due to ethical, practical and theoretical concerns. Individuals who are homeless are typically seen as ‘hard-to-reach’, transient, ‘hidden’ and even chaotic participant populations. Unsurprisingly, examples of the use of innovative participatory research techniques with those groups have been relatively scarce. This paper aimed to address this gap by discussing the application of one such technique – the mobile phone diary in research with multiply disadvantaged homeless adults. Diary methods are situated within the qualitative research on health, illness and social marginality, and the enhanced capabilities of the mobile phone diary are highlighted. The author illustrates the application of the mobile phone diary in his participatory research on the everyday life narratives of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) who were homeless. The process of designing the mobile phone diary is detailed. Following this, participant testimonies of their use of the mobile phone diary are presented. They demonstrate the participatory and inclusive nature, as well as the cathartic and empowering potential, of this technique. The methodological contributions and challenges and the theoretical generativity of the mobile phone diary method are discussed. The mobile phone diary is a feasible approach for eliciting evocative, contextualised and nuanced accounts of the lived experience of homelessness, social isolation, coping and recovery.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska‐Curie Grant 690954.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Karadzhov, Dr Dimitar
• Authors: Karadzhov, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Journal Name: Qualitative Social Work
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• ISSN: 1473-3250
• ISSN (Online): 1741-3117
• Published Online: 26 March 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Author
• First Published: First published in Qualitative Social Work 20(3): 813-831
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License