The history and landscape of conversation and discourse analysis

Abstract

Mental distress has typically been examined from a biomedical or biopsychosocial perspective with quantitative evidence (especially, randomised controlled trials) being favoured. Over the last few decades there has been a growth and greater acceptance of qualitative methods and an increasing emphasis on applied qualitative research, which has been useful in the field of mental health. However, qualitative evidence has been typically, and arguably inappropriately, placed at the bottom level of evidence in the field of health and medicine (Lester & O’Reilly, 2015). Nonetheless, there is a growing acceptance that qualitative approaches offer a great deal for understanding the complexities of mental distress. More specifically, qualitative methodologies, such as conversation and discourse analysis (henceforth DA), have the added benefit of involving a close examination of the realities of individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions and the many interactions that surround their everyday lives.