Using Visual Data Methods in Research with Orphaned Children in Namibia

Parental loss is considered of the most stressful events in the lives of children. Understanding how children experience parental bereavement is therefore considered an important public health issue. However, qualitative research on how children experience the loss of their parent is scarce, especially among children in non-western countries. Besides, studies that explored this theme, describe that responses often remained limited when young orphans were interviewed on their feelings about their parent’s death.

Research on hard-to-study populations, such as parentally bereaved children, and sensitive topics, such as parental loss, may require a broader palette of research methods than verbal interviews only.

On the basis of a study in Namibia, the use of visual methods was examined to understand the experiences of these children. Twenty-one children who lost one or both their parents, participated in the research.

Two types of visual methods were used: drawings and paintings, and taking photographs.

This study shows that the use of these methods yields several benefits:

1. a) It provided new information that other methods did not reveal.
2. b) It encouraged some children to express experiences that they did not express through verbal methods. For example, a child who did not previously talk about the death of the mother, made a drawing about it.
3. c) In addition, children enjoyed working with these techniques, providing they are appropriate to their age. This contributed to the enjoyment of participating in research.
4. d) Finally, these visual methods offered various opportunities for children to participate in the research.

Thus, this study showed the relevance of the use of visual methods in data gathering of a sensitive topic among a hard to study population. By thinking through the structuring of visual methods, this method could be used among larger groups