An Understanding of Religious Doing: A Photovoice Study

Abstract

The ability to participate in everyday activities that hold meaning and value is a determinant of health and wellbeing. Occupational therapists work with people when health and social barriers limit this valued participation. However a challenge persists in including religious practice or ‘doing’ within therapy, with many occupational therapists feeling ill-equipped and reluctant to address religious doing. The study reported here examines religious doing within the lives of participants from a number of faith traditions. A photovoice method is used, with participants discussing photographs that they have taken to describe their religious doing. Data are analyzed using a phenomenological reflective lifeworld approach. Findings are grouped into six themes and are explored using both verbatim quotes from transcripts and some of the photographs taken by participants. A reflective description of the core aspects of participants’ practical religious doing is constructed from the data, with the intention of providing occupational therapists with a basis from which to begin to consider practical religious doing within the lives of their clients. It is proposed that occupational therapists do not need an in-depth knowledge of theology and doctrine but rather an understanding of key and familiar occupational principles such as person-centred habits and routines, and community connectedness.

Online photovoice to explore and advocate for Muslim biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing and issues: Ecological systems theory and ally development

“…Fourth, during the dinner and exhibit, the researchers paid the utmost attention to all points to ensure that Muslim attendees would feel welcome (e.g., halal and cultural food, space and tools to pray); additionally, we promoted the inclusion of those interested in the study, especially key stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, media). Although some researchers utilized photovoice with Muslim participants for different subjects (e.g., cloths, religious perspective, hygiene, and physical activity; Asniar et al 2018;Bromfield and Capous-Desyllas 2017;Eyres et al 2019;Graziano 2014;Miled 2019;Murray et al 2015;Reimers 2016;Samsuni et al 2019), no one had focused on Muslims' biopsychosocial spirituality with such a large and diverse sample.…”

“…To our knowledge, no researchers utilized photovoice to examine Muslims' biopsychosocial spiritual wellbeing and issues; however, many researchers focused on empowering other disenfranchised communities (Kim et al 2019;Strack et al 2004;Wang and Burris 1997) and suggested the use of photovoice with underrepresented and understudied populations. Some researchers also used photovoice with Muslim participants to explore their experiences related to different specific topics including physical exercise and women's role (Bromfield and Capous-Desyllas 2017;Chakraborty 2009;Eyres et al 2019;Miled 2019;Murray et al 2015;Reimers 2016;Samsuni et al 2019) and high school students in education (Roxas and Vélez 2019). Similarly, other researchers reported that photovoice enables the acquisition of people's experiences more accurately as they can identify, represent, and enhance their own or their community's status through captions, explanations, and photos (Davtyan et al 2016;Haugen et al 2019;Nitzinger et al 2019;Strack et al 2015;Sullivan 2017).…”