The Impact of Photovoice on the Report of Emotions in Individuals with Persistent Physical Symptoms
Internally funded project
Start date : 01.09.2023
End date : 30.04.2025
Project details
Short description
Mental health problems are typically caused by issues with emotional processing. People with persistent physical symptoms often have difficulty recognizing and expressing emotions. Therefore, there is a need for methods that address these difficulties directly. Photovoice (PV) was developed to help people access and communicate their emotions by photographing relevant objects or situations. Our project investigates whether this method improves the verbalization of emotional experiences. For the first time, we tested the effectiveness of PV experimentally in two online studies.
Scientific Abstract
Given the importance of emotional processing in persistent physical symptoms (PPS), it is crucial to promote methods that encourage the expression of emotions. After conducting a preliminary study with students, PV was investigated in an online experiment with individuals experiencing tension headaches or tinnitus. Participants in the PV group took daily photographs of aspects of their environment associated with their symptoms and their coping strategies. One group wrote down keywords, while another group was not given a task. The results showed that PV promoted communication about emotions and the expression of positive emotions. PV could provide therapists with new ways to promote the verbalization of emotional experiences in people with PPS.
