Training naive subjects in using micro-phenomenological self-inquiry to investigate pain and suffering during headaches.

Summary

Training people to use micro-phenomenological self-inquiry can improve their ability to describe the fine details of headache experiences, including distinguishing the sensation of pain from the experience of suffering. Thirteen untrained subjects met twice in one week to investigate their headache experiences using this method. Their reports became richer, as shown by more categories described and more words needed for accurate description. The method allows deep focus on single moments of experience but may miss broader contextual meanings. The authors suggest the approach could be useful in clinical settings with initially untrained subjects for describing specific experiences and answering complex phenomenological questions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Micro-phenomenology is a method that generates rich and reliable reports of singular experiences in their pre-reflective dimension. Usually it is employed using a second-person interviewer. In this study we attempted to train naïve subjects in using self-inquiry version of the method. 13 subjects met twice over the course of one week, investigating their experiences of headaches, looking specifically into the pain experience itself, the experience of suffering, and the experience of absence of suffering. The analysis showed that the subject reports increase the richness of description, measured by the increase in the amount of categories described and the number of words needed to give an on target description. The analysis, informed by the participant's ideas, showed that it was possible to distinguish the experience of pain from the experience of suffering. We compare the analysis to other phenomenological studies of headaches. This reveals the strength and weakness of the micro-phenomenological method: By de-focusing on contextual factors it enables in-depth descriptions of singular moments of experience, but the bracketing of interpretations may result in overlooking overarching meaning dimensions. We conclude that micro-phenomenological self-inquiry may potentially be employed successfully in a clinical setting with initially untrained subjects for describing certain kinds of experiences and answering complex phenomenological questions.