The limitations of language: male participants, stoicism, and the qualitative research interview

Am J Mens Health. 2013 Mar;7(2):155-62. doi: 10.1177/1557988312464038. Epub 2012 Oct 22.

Abstract

The semistructured, open-ended interview has become the gold standard for qualitative health research. Despite its strengths, the long interview is not well suited for studying topics that participants find difficult to discuss, or for working with those who have limited verbal communication skills. A lack of emotional expression among male research participants has repeatedly been described as a significant and pervasive challenge by health researchers in a variety of different fields. This article explores several prominent theories for men's emotional inexpression and relates them to qualitative health research. The authors argue that investigators studying emotionally sensitive topics with men should look beyond the long interview to methods that incorporate other modes of emotional expression. This article concludes with a discussion of several such photo-based methods, namely, Photovoice, Photo Elicitation, and Visual Storytelling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Expressed Emotion
  • Humans
  • Inhibition, Psychological
  • Language*
  • Male
  • Masculinity
  • Men's Health
  • Philosophy*
  • Photography
  • Qualitative Research*
  • Research Design
  • Sexism