“Restorying” and “reframing” are concepts often discussed in various fields of research, including psychology, narrative therapy, social sciences, and education. Here’s a brief overview of each term in a research context:
Restorying
- Definition: Restorying involves the process of revisiting and reinterpreting past experiences or narratives to construct new, more empowering stories. It is particularly relevant in therapeutic contexts, where individuals or groups are guided to reshape their personal or collective narratives to foster healing, resilience, or empowerment.
- Application: In research, restorying might be used in qualitative studies to explore how individuals or communities reinterpret their life stories or cultural narratives. It’s common in narrative inquiry, a method where researchers collect and analyze stories to understand how people make sense of their experiences.
Reframing
- Definition: Reframing is the process of changing the way a situation, experience, or narrative is viewed. By altering the context or perspective, reframing can lead to new insights, understandings, and solutions. It’s widely used in cognitive-behavioral therapy, communication studies, and conflict resolution.
- Application: In research, reframing might be used to shift the perspective on a problem, leading to new research questions or innovative approaches. It’s also common in studies focusing on changing perceptions, attitudes, or behaviors.
Research Context
- In Psychology and Therapy: Both concepts are essential in therapeutic practices like narrative therapy or cognitive-behavioral therapy, where clients are encouraged to reframe their thoughts or restory their experiences to promote psychological well-being.
- In Social Sciences: These concepts are applied to understand how societies, communities, or individuals can change their narratives or perspectives, particularly in studies involving marginalized groups, cultural identity, or social change.
- In Education: Educators might use restorying and reframing to help students see themselves in a more positive light or to approach learning challenges from a different angle.
These concepts are powerful tools for facilitating change, whether at the individual, group, or societal level, and are widely explored in various research methodologies.
~
Triangulation can be effectively applied to research involving restorying and reframing to ensure that the interpretations and conclusions are robust and well-rounded. Here’s how you might do this in a research context focused on these concepts:
1. Context: Research on Restorying in Narrative Therapy
- Study Focus: Exploring how individuals undergoing narrative therapy restory their past experiences to overcome trauma.
- Application of Triangulation:
- Data Triangulation: Collect data from multiple sources, such as therapy session transcripts, client journals, and follow-up interviews. This allows you to see how the process of restorying is reflected in different formats and over time.
- Investigator Triangulation: Have different researchers or therapists analyze the therapy sessions and client narratives to identify themes of restorying. This can help mitigate individual biases and provide a broader interpretation of how restorying is occurring.
- Theory Triangulation: Use various theoretical perspectives, such as psychological theories on trauma, narrative identity theory, and sociocultural approaches, to interpret the restorying process. Each theory might highlight different aspects of how individuals reconstruct their narratives.
2. Context: Research on Reframing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Study Focus: Investigating how cognitive reframing techniques in CBT help clients change their negative thought patterns.
- Application of Triangulation:
- Data Triangulation: Gather data from therapy sessions, client self-reports, and behavioral assessments. This helps ensure that the effectiveness of reframing is observed not only in how clients speak about their thoughts but also in measurable changes in behavior.
- Investigator Triangulation: Engage multiple therapists or researchers to evaluate the reframing techniques used in sessions. Each may notice different aspects of the reframing process or outcomes, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding.
- Methodological Triangulation: Combine qualitative analysis of therapy sessions (e.g., identifying instances of reframing) with quantitative measures, such as pre- and post-therapy questionnaires assessing changes in cognitive distortions.
3. Context: Research on Restorying and Reframing in Education
- Study Focus: Understanding how educators help students reframe academic challenges or restory their identities as learners.
- Application of Triangulation:
- Data Triangulation: Use classroom observations, student interviews, and analysis of students’ reflective essays. This provides a multifaceted view of how students engage in restorying or reframing their educational experiences.
- Investigator Triangulation: Have different educators or researchers independently analyze student essays and interviews. Different evaluators might bring out various insights regarding the effectiveness of restorying or reframing strategies.
- Theory Triangulation: Apply educational psychology theories, constructivist learning theories, and social identity theory to interpret how and why restorying and reframing are effective in the classroom context.
By applying triangulation in these ways, you can strengthen your research findings on restorying and reframing, making them more reliable and comprehensive.
