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Journaling: Identification of challenges and reflection on strategies
Abstract and Figures
To identify the challenges associated with using journaling as a method of data collection and to offer strategies for effectively managing those challenges.
While journaling can be used for a variety of reasons, in the context of this paper, journaling refers to the process of participants sharing thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences through writing and/or other media. Journaling is used in phenomenological research studies to record participant experiences in their natural contexts.
The findings are based on the experiences of the researchers during a qualitative study that explored the experiences of lesbian mothers and used journaling as one method of data collection.
This is a methodological paper.
Three main challenges affect journaling as a method of data collection: poor participation, feeling exposed and staying on track. Six strategies to promote participation in journaling are: coaching participants, limiting the journaling period, providing follow-up contact, promoting comfort, ensuring safety and providing clear content expectations. Each strategy is discussed and methods of implementing the strategies are offered.
Journaling as a method of data collection has long been accepted as a valid method of accessing rich qualitative data. By acknowledging the common challenges associated with the process of journaling that are experienced by the participants, researchers employing this data collection method can promote constructive and valuable participation.
Further research examining participants' experiences of journaling as a method of qualitative data collection would be useful in determining challenges, barriers and benefits of the method.
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... Solicited journaling is an effective way to collect ongoing narratives of day-to-day experiences [12] that does not rely on participant recall or a point-in-time summation of complex, longitudinal experiences. However, there are challenges to collecting experiences via solicited journals that include encouraging entries that are neither too broad to be summarized nor so narrow as to be uninformative [12]. ...
... Solicited journaling is an effective way to collect ongoing narratives of day-to-day experiences [12] that does not rely on participant recall or a point-in-time summation of complex, longitudinal experiences. However, there are challenges to collecting experiences via solicited journals that include encouraging entries that are neither too broad to be summarized nor so narrow as to be uninformative [12]. To address these challenges, Charlie Health uses 2 variations of a web-based journal that provide prompts and instructions to guide youth in knowing what experiences to write about, while at the same time giving room for youth to focus on those parts of the experiences that they find most important (Textboxes 1 and 2; a link to the ongoing version [Textbox 2] is emailed to clients each Monday, with a reminder sent on Thursdays) [12]. ...
... However, there are challenges to collecting experiences via solicited journals that include encouraging entries that are neither too broad to be summarized nor so narrow as to be uninformative [12]. To address these challenges, Charlie Health uses 2 variations of a web-based journal that provide prompts and instructions to guide youth in knowing what experiences to write about, while at the same time giving room for youth to focus on those parts of the experiences that they find most important (Textboxes 1 and 2; a link to the ongoing version [Textbox 2] is emailed to clients each Monday, with a reminder sent on Thursdays) [12]. The introductory journal is distributed electronically to each new client as part of the intake process in a remote breakout room before their first treatment session. ...
Background
Youth experiencing high-acuity mental health symptoms often require highly restrictive levels of care (ie, inpatient care) that removes them from the relationships and activities essential for healthy development. An alternative treatment gaining evidence in its ability to support this population is the intensive outpatient programming (IOP) model. Understanding the experiences of adolescents and young adults during IOP treatment episodes may enhance clinical responsiveness to changing needs and protect against transfer to inpatient care.
Objective
The objective of the analysis reported here was to identify heretofore unrecognized treatment needs of adolescents and young adults attending a remote IOP to help the program make clinical and programmatic decisions that increase its ability to support the recovery of program participants.
Methods
Treatment experiences are collected weekly via electronic journals as part of ongoing quality improvement efforts. The journals are used by clinicians proximally to help them identify youth in crisis and distally to help them better understand and respond to the needs and experiences of program participants. Journal entries are downloaded each week, reviewed by program staff for evidence of the need for immediate intervention, and later deidentified and shared with quality improvement partners via monthly uploads to a secure folder. A total of 200 entries were chosen based on inclusion criteria that focused primarily on having at least one entry at 3 specified time points across the treatment episode. Overall, 3 coders analyzed the data using open-coding thematic analysis from an essentialist perspective such that the coders sought to represent the data and thus the essential experience of the youth as closely as possible.
Results
Three themes emerged: mental health symptoms, peer relations, and recovery. The mental health symptoms theme was not surprising, given the context within which the journals were completed and the journal instructions asking that they write about how they are feeling. The peer relations and recovery themes provided novel insight, with entries included in the peer relations theme demonstrating the central importance of peer relationships, both within and outside of the therapeutic setting. The entries contained under the recovery theme described experience of recovery in terms of increases in function and self-acceptance versus reductions in clinical symptoms.
Conclusions
These findings support the conceptualization of this population as youth with both mental health and developmental needs. In addition, these findings suggest that current definitions of recovery may inadvertently miss supporting and documenting treatment gains considered most important to the youth and young adults receiving care. Taken together, youth-serving IOPs may be better positioned to treat youth and assess program impact through the inclusion of functional measures and attention to fundamental tasks of the adolescent and young adult developmental periods.
... We also leveraged a second source of evidence: reflexive journaling. Journaling can enrich data collected in interviews by eliciting detail on topics that were inadequately addressed during the initial conversation and providing more longitudinal data (Hayman et al., 2012). One strategy for successful journaling is coaching, whereby researchers provide direction on what to write about (Hayman et al., 2012). ...
... Journaling can enrich data collected in interviews by eliciting detail on topics that were inadequately addressed during the initial conversation and providing more longitudinal data (Hayman et al., 2012). One strategy for successful journaling is coaching, whereby researchers provide direction on what to write about (Hayman et al., 2012). We were cautious of "overguiding" participants, however, as we sought to allow them to share their own lived experiences instead of adapting to an a priori lane. ...
... Participants received biweekly email reminders to encourage them to complete journal entries. We encouraged participation by limiting the journaling period to two months (Hayman et al., 2012). This time frame kept participants engaged and also provided an opportunity to explore the life-disrupting threat and its impact on fandom as it was unfolding. ...
Team identity is periodically disrupted by identity threat, yet minimal research has addressed how life-disrupting threats impact team identity. In the current study, the authors employed a case study design to examine the effects of a life-disrupting threat (i.e., the start of the COVID-19 pandemic) on team identity. The authors, leveraging interviews and participant journaling, examined individuals who identify with at least one sport team, finding that team identity was mostly “inactive” as this life-disrupting threat set in. Further, although participants recognized the importance of their fandom in terms of social connectivity (i.e., relationships with fellow fans) and opportunity for escape, they emphasized that, overall, being a fan was unimportant during the early months of the pandemic. Collectively, these findings highlight the need to study team identity (and identity threat) from a more “macro” perspective – that is, considering fandom in conjunction with other salient factors in fans’ lives.
... Thus, this instrument was conceived as a more reflective tool in order to make participants express themselves about how they had faced previous pedagogical crises. According to Hayman et al. (2012), "the main purpose of journaling is to document and reflect on experiences as a way of thinking, understanding and learning" (p. 28). ...
Growth mindset proposed by Dweck (2006) is a suitable resource to aid teachers to grow professionally and resolve pedagogical crises. It represents a reflective tool that enables teachers to take action toward improvement and success. The objective of this study is to determine the mindset adopted by some English teachers within their professional performance, specifically when dealing with pedagogical crises and professional challenges and the type of mindset that they develop. Four English teachers at tertiary education participated in this descriptive case study conducted over four months. Data were collected by means of three instruments: a survey, a journal, and an interview. The results revealed that the sample population tended to take advantage of pedagogical crises and avoid having a fixed mindset toward issues such as: dealing with students, communicating with bosses or coping with unexpected classroom situations. Findings may have a relevant impact on how teachers assume their daily duties and challenges. Resumen La mentalidad de crecimiento propuesta por Dweck (2006) es un recurso apropiado para guiar a los profesores en su crecimiento profesional, y en la resolución de las crisis pedagógicas. Representa una herramienta de reflexión que permite a los profesores emprender acciones tendientes a la mejora y el éxito. Este estudio tiene por objeto determinar el tipo de mentalidad adoptado por algunos profesores de inglés en su labor profesional, en específico cuando tratan con crisis pedagógicas o con retos profesionales y con el tipo de mentalidad que desarrollan. Cuatro profesores de inglés de educación superior participaron en este estudio de caso descriptivo realizado durante cuatro meses. Los datos se recolectaron mediante tres instrumentos: una encuesta, un diario y una entrevista. Los resultados revelaron que la población de la muestra presentaba una tendencia al aprovechamiento de las crisis pedagógicas y evitaba tener una mentalidad fija con respecto a temas como: el trato con los estudiantes, la comunicación con los jefes o el afrontamiento de situaciones inesperadas en las clases. Los hallazgos pueden tener un impacto relevante en la forma en que los docentes asumen sus deberes y desafíos cotidianos.
... Comparable initiatives could, for example, examine the relationship between the ward environment and intervention more closely by participant observation of patient and staff interactions in and outside of the group sessions. Another option would be to gather narratives from staff and patients over several weeks and sessions to explore commonalities and differences in experience across sessions (Hardy et al 2007, Hayman et al 2012. These endeavours would also have the advantage of embedding research and evaluation activity in day-to-day work and fostering enthusiasm for practice innovation (Department of Health and Social Care 2021, May 2021). ...
This article reports on a service evaluation of a group-based psychoeducation programme for older people in an inpatient mental healthcare setting. It sought to explore how the programme was experienced by patients and staff, as well as its acceptability and the feasibility for implementation in the longer term. Via questionnaires, views were gathered from patients and staff. A focus group interview with staff facilitating the group sessions was also undertaken, and patient attendance records for sessions were collected and compared with demographic data relating to the two wards housed in the unit where the programme took place. The programme was generally viewed as a positive addition to care delivery by staff and patient respondents in offering an adjunct to pharmacological treatment, increasing familiarity with psychology staff, encouraging patients to develop a greater degree of mastery regarding their health and fostering mutual support among the patient community. The role of the ward environment in supporting access to group-based intervention is also considered.
... The journaling data collection method included participants sharing thoughts, ideas, feelings, and lived experiences through writing on the research topic (Hayman et al., 2012). Journaling is a useful tool for data collection due to its ability to combine personal reflections, accounts of events, and descriptions of experiences to gain a deeper understanding of participants' experiences and meanings (Figure 1). ...
The aims of our study were (1) to explore the impact of having an incarcerated parent on youth (ages 10–18) wellbeing; and (2) to identify recommendations from the youth based on their needs which address the challenges of having an incarcerated parent and promote individual and community flourishing. We utilized a Youth Participatory Action Research approach, including semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, storytelling, and photovoice with 20 participants, ages 10–18. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and organized into five thematic categories: (1) youths' perceptions of their communities; (2) incarcerations' impact on families and communities; (3) incarcerations' influence on mental health and flourishing; (4) incarceration as a solution for community safety; and (5) addressing the impact of incarceration on children, families, and communities. Findings provide important implications for practice and policy with children of incarcerated parents and for promoting flourishing individuals and communities.
... Trainees often make public profiles containing information not traditionally given in a doctor-patient relationship (Hayman, Wilkes, & Jackson, 2012). Disparaging remarks about patients and doctors are freely accessible online (Thompson et al., 2008). ...
Introduction: A total of 144 medical colleges are contributing to the country’s progress. Excessive usage of social media is a cause of not only the deterioration of physical and psychological health of medical students, but has also become a defining reason of procrastination and attaining less than ideal grades. Where most western institutes implement strict social media policies in medical schools, those in Pakistan are gravely lacking.Objective: The objective of this research implementation of social media in medical schools of Pakistan and then identify the need to develop such policies.Methods: We conducted qualitative research in which method of data collection was primarily focus group discussions (FGD) of a total of 40 participants from five different medical colleges of Pakistan. The participants included medical practitioners and medical students(n=20) who were further divided into four groups of five participants each. FGD was conducted online.Results: Content analysis revealed seven core themes as point of discussions to be highlighted. Almost all participants were grossly unaware of the importance of social media usage regulation and its implementation in medical schools.Conclusion: At the end of the FGD it was unanimously agreed upon that there must be a uniform and standard social media policy defined by the regulating bodies of medical schools. This research may further be conducted by including policymakers in the sample.KEYWORDS: Social media, policy, medical colleges.
... The five child practitioners were required to write down regular entries, whereby they were encouraged to personally reflect on the primary aspects of the project, over one month. This form of mental processing can be useful in community engagement and ongoing learning (Hayman et al., 2012). Practitioners, thus, wrote down thoughts, ideas and observations before, during and following the participatory workshops. ...
Purpose
This study aims to establish the perspectives of community providers on challenges and enablers in developing child mental health capacity in disadvantaged communities in South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors involved 29 community providers operating in a large urban-deprived area in the Gauteng Province, east of Johannesburg. Community providers had educational, social and health care backgrounds. Their perspectives were captured through three focus groups, two participatory workshops and reflective diaries. Data were integrated and subjected to inductive thematic analysis.
Findings
Three interlinked themes were identified. Community mobilization was viewed as pre-requisite through mental health awareness and strategies to engage children, youth and parents. Service provision should take into consideration contextual factors, predominantly inequalities, lack of basic needs and gender-based issues (domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and single motherhood). Participants referred to severe mental health needs, and related to physical health conditions, disabilities and impairments, rather than to common mental health problems or wellbeing. They proposed that capacity building should tap into existing resources and integrate with support systems through collaborative working.
Practical implications
Child mental health policy and service design in Majority World Countries (MWCs), should involve all informal and structural support systems and stakeholders. Contextual factors require consideration, especially in disadvantaged communities and low-resource settings, and should be addressed through joined up working.
Originality/value
Children’s mental health needs are largely unmet in MWC-disadvantaged communities. These findings capture the experiences and perspectives of various community providers on how to enhance mental health provision by mobilizing communities and resources.
... A total of 30 chaplains across all cohorts were initially recruited to keep a journal approximately once a week for several months (Table 1). The first author sent a reminder e-mail to the chaplains weekly during the duration of the journaling period, and the research team made clear to participants that the journaling period would be time limited, following best practices in phenomenological research utilizing reflective journaling (Hayman, Wilkes, & Jackson, 2012). The chaplains understood that their participation and submission of journals was voluntary. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted North American health care chaplains' modes of work and emotions. To capture the experiences of health care chaplains across the United States, 30 Board Certified (or eligible) chaplains were asked to keep a weekly narrative journal of their experiences and emotions during the pandemic from April of 2020 through June of 2020. Twenty-one chaplains submitted their journals for qualitative analysis, amounting to over 90,000 words of chaplain reflection containing rich, descriptive, and often personal stories of health care chaplains. Journals were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. The overarching patterns identified included: The World of Chaplaincy, Policies/Procedures/Visitation, Staff Care, Rituals, Chaplain Emotional Responses, Coping, and Racism. A significant finding was the resiliency and creativity of chaplains despite the rapid changes, uncertainty, and fear brought on by the pandemic. The results further suggest that journaling is a feasible and acceptable method in chaplaincy research.
A clinical application of assessment methods adapted from qualitative research is described. Specifically, data were collected via ethnographic interviewing and journal writing before, during, and after intervention in a case of adult aphasia. The data were categorized to provide insight into contexts of communication, social relationships, and feelings about life with aphasia. By analyzing the reports of the client and significant others over the course of treatment, changes in social participation and psychosocial well‐being were documented. These descriptive data provided a socially valid and consumer focused method of tracking outcome in this case.
This article describes personal document research and proposes its use as an alternative research method that includes the voice and experience of the research participant. By juxtaposing the personal diary and case record of a welfare mother, the qualitative data generated challenge the icons of professional objectivity, case record accuracy, and factuality. The exclusion of the woman's voice by research design or statistical abstraction disqualifies an alternative version of facts from being known or from entering into public policy debate over such serious social policy issues as poverty and child neglect. Personal document research bridges the gap between practitioner and researcher by offering a research method more in line with social work’s traditional clinical values and social activist concerns.
The act of “talking to oneself” is an important component of learning, and of seeking balance, direction, and meaning in life.
This article describes the first stage of a multistep project that examined whether and to what degree journal writing provides information about students' achievement of desired learning outcomes in diversity training. Participants were 18 communication sciences and disorders graduate students enrolled in a 2-course, interinstitutional, Web-based instructional sequence derived from experiential learning models. Examples of written reflections from student journals used in the first course illustrate how students applied course materials to their personal and professional experiences. Results suggest that journaling is a viable approach to assessment and that the content and level of reflection in student journals may provide evidence relative to specific learning outcomes and levels of achievement.
Qualitative research in counselling and psychotherapy has largely been based on interviews carried out with clients and therapists. However, other approaches to qualitative data collection are possible. The present paper uses a diary design to explore the connection between what goes on in therapy sessions, and client activities and experiences in other contexts. Clients and counsellors kept diaries about significant aspects of therapy sessions, while clients also kept diaries about new and different experiences in other contexts in their lives. Ethical and practical issues involved in the use of diaries are discussed, and the methods that were employed to analyse diary-based data are described. The types of findings that the study generated are presented, along with discussion of their implications for research into client experiences of therapy.
Focusing on the social environment as well as the individual should both enhance our understanding of HIV transmission and assist in the development of more effective prevention programs. Networks are an important aspect of drug injectors' social environment. We distinguish between (1) risk networks (the people among whom HIV risk behaviors occur) as vectors of disease transmission, and (2) social networks (the people among whom there are social interactions with a mutual orientation to one another) as generators and disseminators of social influence. These concepts are applied to analyses of data from interviews with drug injectors in two studies. In the first study drug injectors' risk networks converge with their social networks: 70% inject or share syringes with a spouse or sex partner, a running partner, or with friends or others whom they know. Qualitative data from interviews with injectors in the second study also show that the social relationships between drug injectors and members of their risk network are often based on long-standing and multiplex relationships, such as those based on kinship, friendship, marital and sexual ties, and economic activity. In the first study the vast majority of injectors, over 90%, have social ties with non-injectors. Injectors with more frequent social contacts with non-injectors engage in lower levels of injecting risk behavior. Risk settings may function as risk networks: injectors in this study who inject at shooting galleries are more likely than those who do not to rent used syringes, borrow used syringes and inject with strangers. Since the adoption of a network approach is relatively new, a number of issues require further attention. These include: how to utilize social networks among drug injectors to reduce risk through peer pressure; how to promote risk reduction by encouraging ties between injectors and non-injectors; and how to integrate biographical and historical change into understanding network processes. Appropriate methodologies to study drug injectors' networks should be developed, including techniques to reach hidden populations, computer software for managing and analyzing network data bases, and statistical methods for drawing inferences from data gathered through dependent sampling designs.
This article describes clinical data retrieved using a chronic pain diary in older people residing in a nursing home. Twenty-one diary entries provided the information necessary to formulate an effective plan of care. Residents reported duration of pain, pain at rest, pain with movement, number and location of pain sites, and pain descriptors. Although estimates of chronic pain among nursing home residents range from 4480%, the nursing home participating in this project reported 0% persistent or chronic pain. Diary entries revealed that 17% of communicative residents reported chronic pain. Data showed that a majority of participants experienced pain with movement. They experienced pain an average of 11 hours a day and lower limbs and hips were the most prevalent sites, and residents averaged three pain sites. The dominant pain descriptors used were 'achy' and 'exhausting'.