Reflections on the qualitative addition to the SIBL study: Responding with action rather than explanation

Abstract

The Self-Injury in Young Bisexual People: A Longitudinal Investigation (SIBL) study, a quantitative study investigating psychological variables associated with bisexuality and non-suicidal self-injury, did not originally include qualitative outcomes. The research team wanted to do so, however, capacity concerns loomed large. When participants in the SIBL study told us they had more to say, we responded with action, rather than providing explanations for our decision. With Covid-19 changing the way the world usually works, interviews were conducted virtually. Reflections on this process, and the general power dynamics of interviewing, are discussed. Importantly, something was different in virtual interviewing: the process felt more like a human connecting with a human, rather than a participant telling a researcher.