Abstract
AbstractResearch exploring the literacy practices of diverse participants is integral to developing our understanding of literacy. Diverse groups of participants, for example participants with mental health conditions, bring specific ethical considerations and methodological challenges. This paper presents the use of Skype to research literacy practices through qualitative interviews as a solution to such methodological challenges, focussing this discussion on a research project into the mental health literacy practices of students. The ethical concerns of working with participants with mental health conditions are discussed, particularly issues with confidentiality and safety which mean that interviews in both public and private locations could be inappropriate. This paper argues that using Skype allows both participants and researcher to be in private but separate locations, reducing barriers to participation for participants with mental health conditions and minimising the intrusion and anxiety of qualitative interviews. Vignettes from research into the literacy practices of students with mental health conditions are presented to show that using video calling to research literacy practices allows researchers to learn more about participants' literacy practices and the role these practices play in their lives, whilst maintaining comfort and ease for participants.
Published Version
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