Missing voices: thickening research narratives

Mhairi Thurston; Nichola Blunden

Abstract

Background/context:What does the literature say about the mental health of people with a vision impairment and the impact of counselling? Five electronic databases were searched in October 2021. The databases included CINAHL, Scopus, PsycArticles, PubMed and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies that fitted the inclusion criteria were screened. A narrative synthesis of studies and the associations between vision impairment, mental health and counselling was completed. The authors observed methodological hierarchies. The voices of blind people were missing in most studies.

Questions/issues to consider in the session:The findings prompted the following observations:
•A thin narrative – publications in Ophthalmology journals cited other publications in Ophthalmology journals.
•Did the thin narrative lead to a medicalised interpretation of sight loss and mental health?
•What evidence was being missed out?
Pluralistic research perspective could be useful (Smith, K., McLeod, J., Blunden, N., Cooper, M., Gabriel, L., Kupfer, C., McLeod, J., Murphie, M-C., Oddli, H. W., Thurston, M., & Winter, L. A. (2021). A pluralistic perspective on research in psychotherapy: harnessing passion, difference and dialogue to promote justice and relevance. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, [742676]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742676 )
Discussion will be welcomed about how thin narratives are perpetuated in research and how interventions are “done to” rather than “done with” marginalised groups.

Audience
The following delegates may find this session of interest:
•Anyone who is interested in research evidence and social justice
•Counsellors who are interested in better understanding the association between sight loss and mental health.
•Researchers who are interested in co construction with marginalised client groups.

Learning objectives
This session will help you:
•Understand current evidence about the association between sight loss and mental health
•Become familiar with the types of psychological interventions found in the evidence and the limitations associated with this
•Consider the importance of giving clients a voice in the design of interventions aimed at “helping” them.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 20 May 2022
Event	28th Annual BACP Research Conference: Striving for equality, diversity and inclusion in research, practice and policy - Dundee, United Kingdom Duration: 19 May 2022 → 20 May 2022 Conference number: 28th https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/research/conference/

Conference

Conference	28th Annual BACP Research Conference
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Dundee
Period	19/05/22 → 20/05/22
Internet address	https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/research/conference/

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Access to Document

https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/bacp-events/researchip2022/research-conference-abstracts/discussions/#thurston

Cite this

@conference{7bbe7804408f4eed82a9dcebd24fae0f,

title = "Missing voices: thickening research narratives",

abstract = "Background/context:What does the literature say about the mental health of people with a vision impairment and the impact of counselling? Five electronic databases were searched in October 2021. The databases included CINAHL, Scopus, PsycArticles, PubMed and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies that fitted the inclusion criteria were screened. A narrative synthesis of studies and the associations between vision impairment, mental health and counselling was completed. The authors observed methodological hierarchies. The voices of blind people were missing in most studies. Questions/issues to consider in the session:The findings prompted the following observations: •A thin narrative {\textendash} publications in Ophthalmology journals cited other publications in Ophthalmology journals. •Did the thin narrative lead to a medicalised interpretation of sight loss and mental health? •What evidence was being missed out? Pluralistic research perspective could be useful (Smith, K., McLeod, J., Blunden, N., Cooper, M., Gabriel, L., Kupfer, C., McLeod, J., Murphie, M-C., Oddli, H. W., Thurston, M., \& Winter, L. A. (2021). A pluralistic perspective on research in psychotherapy: harnessing passion, difference and dialogue to promote justice and relevance. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, [742676]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742676 ) Discussion will be welcomed about how thin narratives are perpetuated in research and how interventions are {\textquotedblleft}done to{\textquotedblright} rather than {\textquotedblleft}done with{\textquotedblright} marginalised groups. Audience The following delegates may find this session of interest: •Anyone who is interested in research evidence and social justice •Counsellors who are interested in better understanding the association between sight loss and mental health. •Researchers who are interested in co construction with marginalised client groups. Learning objectives This session will help you: •Understand current evidence about the association between sight loss and mental health •Become familiar with the types of psychological interventions found in the evidence and the limitations associated with this •Consider the importance of giving clients a voice in the design of interventions aimed at {\textquotedblleft}helping{\textquotedblright} them. ",

author = "Mhairi Thurston and Nichola Blunden",

year = "2022",

month = may,

day = "20",

language = "English",

note = "28th Annual BACP Research Conference : Striving for equality, diversity and inclusion in research, practice and policy ; Conference date: 19-05-2022 Through 20-05-2022",

url = "https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/research/conference/",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Missing voices

T2 - 28th Annual BACP Research Conference

AU - Thurston, Mhairi

AU - Blunden, Nichola

N1 - Conference code: 28th

PY - 2022/5/20

Y1 - 2022/5/20

N2 - Background/context:What does the literature say about the mental health of people with a vision impairment and the impact of counselling? Five electronic databases were searched in October 2021. The databases included CINAHL, Scopus, PsycArticles, PubMed and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies that fitted the inclusion criteria were screened. A narrative synthesis of studies and the associations between vision impairment, mental health and counselling was completed. The authors observed methodological hierarchies. The voices of blind people were missing in most studies. Questions/issues to consider in the session:The findings prompted the following observations: •A thin narrative – publications in Ophthalmology journals cited other publications in Ophthalmology journals. •Did the thin narrative lead to a medicalised interpretation of sight loss and mental health? •What evidence was being missed out? Pluralistic research perspective could be useful (Smith, K., McLeod, J., Blunden, N., Cooper, M., Gabriel, L., Kupfer, C., McLeod, J., Murphie, M-C., Oddli, H. W., Thurston, M., & Winter, L. A. (2021). A pluralistic perspective on research in psychotherapy: harnessing passion, difference and dialogue to promote justice and relevance. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, [742676]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742676 ) Discussion will be welcomed about how thin narratives are perpetuated in research and how interventions are “done to” rather than “done with” marginalised groups. Audience The following delegates may find this session of interest: •Anyone who is interested in research evidence and social justice •Counsellors who are interested in better understanding the association between sight loss and mental health. •Researchers who are interested in co construction with marginalised client groups. Learning objectives This session will help you: •Understand current evidence about the association between sight loss and mental health •Become familiar with the types of psychological interventions found in the evidence and the limitations associated with this •Consider the importance of giving clients a voice in the design of interventions aimed at “helping” them.

AB - Background/context:What does the literature say about the mental health of people with a vision impairment and the impact of counselling? Five electronic databases were searched in October 2021. The databases included CINAHL, Scopus, PsycArticles, PubMed and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies that fitted the inclusion criteria were screened. A narrative synthesis of studies and the associations between vision impairment, mental health and counselling was completed. The authors observed methodological hierarchies. The voices of blind people were missing in most studies. Questions/issues to consider in the session:The findings prompted the following observations: •A thin narrative – publications in Ophthalmology journals cited other publications in Ophthalmology journals. •Did the thin narrative lead to a medicalised interpretation of sight loss and mental health? •What evidence was being missed out? Pluralistic research perspective could be useful (Smith, K., McLeod, J., Blunden, N., Cooper, M., Gabriel, L., Kupfer, C., McLeod, J., Murphie, M-C., Oddli, H. W., Thurston, M., & Winter, L. A. (2021). A pluralistic perspective on research in psychotherapy: harnessing passion, difference and dialogue to promote justice and relevance. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, [742676]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742676 ) Discussion will be welcomed about how thin narratives are perpetuated in research and how interventions are “done to” rather than “done with” marginalised groups. Audience The following delegates may find this session of interest: •Anyone who is interested in research evidence and social justice •Counsellors who are interested in better understanding the association between sight loss and mental health. •Researchers who are interested in co construction with marginalised client groups. Learning objectives This session will help you: •Understand current evidence about the association between sight loss and mental health •Become familiar with the types of psychological interventions found in the evidence and the limitations associated with this •Consider the importance of giving clients a voice in the design of interventions aimed at “helping” them.

M3 - Abstract

Y2 - 19 May 2022 through 20 May 2022