Vignette development and administration: a framework for protecting research participants

Abstract

This paper is a discussion regarding vignette development and administration as a means of protecting research participants in social research. Health and social care researchers investigate a plethora of issues that may be sensitive or upsetting, for example, abuse or bereavement. This exposes participants to potential emotional harm caused by revisiting the original trauma. Using research methods that offer a protective layer is important. Evidence suggests that vignettes provide protection for research participants by placing distance between their experience and that of the vignette character. However, there are few methodological papers regarding vignette use. Utilising examples from our own research, we engage in a critical discussion regarding vignette development and administration. The paper offers a new framework to support researchers -particularly those in health and social care -in the development and administration of vignettes. We contend that the framework supports best practice in vignette use, particularly when researching sensitive issues.

Youth Jury Policy Deliberation: Towards a Fair and Responsible Internet

“…Following the tradition of applied drama and drama in education, these scenarios are designed to ease participants into an exchange of their digital experience, which may be frustrating and embarrassing, rather than diving straight in. Vignettes are found to be particularly useful in prompting reflective responses from young people and in discussions of sensitive subjects in various areas, ranging from domestic violence and abuse (Bradbury‐Jones and others, ) to experience of physical exercise (Yungblut and others, ), risks (Conrad, ) and perceptions concerning end‐of‐life care (Gerard, ).…”

Racial Discrimination and African Americans’ Travel Behavior

“…Vignettes are thought to gently introduce potentially sensitive issues and help participants disclose personal experiences without damaging their emotion and dignity (Barter and Renold 1999). Thus, researchers have used vignettes to investigate domestic violence, drug usage, HIV/ AIDS, and date rape (Barter and Renold 1999;Bradbury-Jones, Taylor, and Herber 2014). Moreover, the technique can transcend national and cultural boundaries during data collection (Bradbury-Jones, Taylor, and Herber 2014).…”

Application of the Vignette Technique for Exploring Moral Values in Infrastructure Project Management

“…If the research aims to explore contextual factors that affect ethical decision-making, then the relevance and realism of the vignette are important 14) . Another aspect to consider is the participants' attention span during the presentation of the vignette because long text is not administrable 19) . To increase the realism of the story and to make the interview process less burdensome for the participants, some researchers have employed audio and visual vignette formats instead of text formats 11), 19)- 21) .…”

“…The initial question of the interviews is a short, open-ended prompt, such as, "How would you advise the character presented in the vignette to act?" 19) During the process, the interviewer inquires about the reasons for the claims made by the respondents. If the respondent indicates that his or her knowledge of context is insufficient (e.g., "It depends"), the interviewer needs to provide additional information (e.g., "Well then, what if …").…”

“…Although vignettes are most commonly presented in written text, research has also used vignettes in audio, picture, or video formats 11), 19) . In fact, an optimal vignette format depends on the aim of the study 14) .…”