Drawing a River: Utilizing the Power of Metaphors in Interviews With Children and Young People

Area of Science:

• Qualitative Health Research
• Childhood Studies
• Sociology of Health and Illness

Background:

• Scholars advocate for including children's perspectives in qualitative health research.
• Current research often excludes children's voices, viewing disability and sickness as a lack of agency.
• A need exists to challenge power dynamics and deficit-based approaches in child health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and explore the Double-view (Dovi)-river interview method for qualitative health research with children.
• To provide a method that enables children to articulate complex and ambiguous life experiences.
• To challenge exclusionary practices and deficit views in health research concerning children.

Main Methods:

• The Do(uble)-vi(ew) (Dovi)-river interview is an arts-based, two-step method.
• Step 1: A life course interview involving the child drawing their life as a river.
• Step 2: Revisiting and unfolding the child's narratives to explore life experiences collaboratively.

Main Results:

• The Dovi-river method facilitates ambiguous and multi-layered life course narratives.
• It enables an arts-based, joint exploration of children's life experiences, challenging adult-child power relations.
• The method highlights both challenges and opportunities, moving beyond a deficit view of children's capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The Dovi-river interview method offers a nuanced and appreciative approach to understanding children's experiences.
• It can challenge predominant deficit views and dichotomous understandings of children's lives and capabilities in health research and practice.
• The method's potential for articulating complexity and ambiguity can benefit broader qualitative research and healthcare.