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“It’s Something That Will Stay With Me.”

A Qualitative Descriptive Study of the Experience of Participating in a Co-Produced Photovoice Study

Bibliographic Data

ID19479205
AuthorsLisa D Hawke (0000-0003-1108-9453, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, corresponding author), Shelby McKee (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Holly Harris (0000-0001-8022-3666, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Sean Patenaude (0009-0006-7835-4011, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Amy Hsieh (0009-0001-7983-1725, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), James Svoboda (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Maral Sahaguian (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Gail Bellissimo (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Kelly Lawless (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), George James (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Jordana Rovet (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Sophie Soklaridi (0000-0001-5119-8473, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Sophie Soklaridis (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
Year2026
Volume25
Publication date2026-01-19
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1609-4069 • E-ISSN: 1609-4069
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/16094069261426084
OpenAlexW7129389247
LanguageEN
References cited33

Photovoice is a participatory visual methodology that can be used to collect rich qualitative insights into sensitive issues. Photovoice lends itself to a co-production framework. This qualitative study evaluates the experience of participating in a co-produced photovoice project in a Recovery College setting. A sample of 18 participants participated in this study, which consisted of three rounds of seven photography workshops, followed by focus group discussions. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using codebook thematic analysis. The study was co-produced within a Recovery College setting. Four themes were generated from the data analysis process. (1) Participants noted that they benefited from socialization with their peers as part of the project, which included sharing and commenting on photos, socializing within the sessions, and learning from each other. (2) Through the photovoice process, participants acquired substantial photography skills such as editing, captioning, and storytelling, while also becoming more aware of the visual richness of their world. (3) Participants were further stimulated to think differently about their experience of co-production, helping them reflect on the study topic, although some found the topic difficult to understand and translate into photographs. (4) Lastly, participants appreciated the design of the project, including the level of compensation, the workshop design and facilitation, and the support offered to participants. The themes are illustrated by subthemes and representative quotes. Participating in a co-produced photovoice project is a positive experience for participants, with many benefits in terms of skill development, personal growth and recovery, and deeper reflection. Aspects of the study that were co-produced were particularly appreciated by participants. These findings offer a replicable model for future photovoice initiatives aiming to optimize impact on participants while soliciting rich insights into research questions. Photovoice may be particularly relevant to Recovery Colleges and other co-production settings

Data collection · Focus group · Photo elicitation · Photovoice · Qualitative research · Socialization · Thematic analysis · Visual methods · Visual research · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Participatory Visual Research Methods

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