Our methods are primarily qualitative, grounded in phenomenological and ethnographic frameworks. We use approaches such as participant observations, interviews, narratives, focus group discussions and recordings of health care interactions (analysed using interactional sociolinguistic approaches), amongst others.
We are interested in finding ways of doing research that are cost- and time-effective and flexible to the needs of the particular context and community of participants, as part of a move away from “purist”, conventional research traditions towards more pragmatic ways of applying qualitative approaches.
Our current projects focus on two major thematic areas:
- Supporting communication skills in health care interactions [simulated, online, face to face]
- Exploring experiences of care [care giving, care receiving, meaning of care]
Research Interests
- Diversity and its impact on care
- Interactions between healthcare workers and patients
- Inter-professional team communication
- Communication skills training for healthcare teams
- Communication skills training for student clinicians
- Healthcare interpreting practices
- Ethical complexities in care
- Adherence and medicine taking behaviours
- Cultural beliefs and understanding of diseases
- Patient experiences of care
- Arts and health collaborations
- Illness narratives and narratives of lived experience
Recent Publications
Azevedo, F., Pavlović, T., Rego, G. … Watermeyer, J., et al. (2023). Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. Scientific Data, 10, 272. [WoS]
de Lange, S., Muller, D., & Dafkin, C. (2023). The relationship between balance and urinary cortisol and neopterin in autistic children. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 16, 100216. [Scopus]
Gallant, A., Watermeyer, J., & Sawasawa, C. (2023). The teletherapy experiences of South African speech-language therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative survey. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 58(5), 1468-1480. [WoS]
Kanji, A., Watermeyer, J., Ismail, M. (2023). Audiology students’ practices and perspectives of their communication skills: The impact of a brief intervention. Speech, Language, and Hearing, 26, 31-39. [Scopus]
Madonsela, S., Ware, L., Scott, M., & Watermeyer, J. (2023) The development and use of adolescent mobile mental health (m-mhealth) interventions in Low-Middle-Income Countries: a scoping review. South African Journal of Psychology, 53(4), 471-483. [WoS]
Mills, L., & Watermeyer, J. (2023). A meta-ethnography on the experience and psychosocial implications of providing elective abortion care. Social Science and Medicine, 38, 115964. [WoS]
Scott, M., Watermeyer, J., & Wessels, T.M. (2023). A balancing act: Non-directive communication, risk perceptions, and meeting patient needs in genetic counseling: A South African case study. Journal of Genetic Counseling. [WoS]
Variava, T., & Watermeyer, J. (2023). A systematic review exploring the psychosocial factors affecting adolescent access to HIV treatment services. Adolescents, 3, 10-40. [DOAJ]
Van Bavel, J. J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, J. B., Pavlović, T., …Watermeyer, J.,... & Jørgensen, F. J. (2022). National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature Communications, 13(1), 517. [WoS]
Watermeyer, J., Etheredge, H., Fabian, J., & Tager, S. (2022). Emphasising Organisational Routine: A Qualitative Study of Patient and Health Professional Experiences of Inpatient Oncology Care. Healthcare, 10, 2145. [WoS]
Watermeyer, J., & Kanji, A. (2022). Students' reflections during training workshops on communication and information exchange in audiology consultations: an exploratory qualitative study. American Journal of Audiology, 31(3), 541-551. [WoS]
Watermeyer, J., & Neille, J. (2022). The application of qualitative approaches in a post-colonial context in speech-language pathology: A call for transformation. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 24, 494-503. [WoS]
Watermeyer, J., Scott, M., Kapueja, L., & Ware, L. (2022). To trust or not to trust: An exploratory qualitative study of young people’s perceptions of vaccines in Soweto, South Africa. Health Policy and Planning, 37, 1167-1176. [WoS]
Wieringa, T. H., Pinker, I. H., Jain, N., Goulding, R., van Klaveren, C. W., Lu, W., Lanzen, C… & Scott, M. (2022). Fragmented world, connected community: success factors of the first online EACH Summer School for early-career researchers. Patient Education and Counseling, 105, 257-259. [WoS]
Watermeyer, J., Kater, K. A., & Khumalo, G. (2022). Experiences of a pediatric speech-language teletherapy practical at a South African university training site during COVID-19: an exploratory qualitative study. The Clinical Supervisor, 41(2), 149-166. [Scopus]
Variava, T., & Watermeyer, J. (2022). A systematic review exploring the psychosocial factors affecting adolescent access to HIV treatment services. Adolescents, 3(1), 10-40. [DOAJ]
Pavlović, T., et al. (2022). Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning. PNAS Nexus, 1(3), pgac093.
Van Bavel, J. J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, J. B., Pavlović, T., …Watermeyer, J.,... & Jørgensen, F. J. (2022). National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature communications, 13(1), 517.
Wieringa, T. H., Pinker, I. H., Jain, N., Goulding, R., van Klaveren, C. W., Lu, W., Lanzen, C… & Scott, M. (2022). Fragmented world, connected community: success factors of the first online EACH Summer School for early-career researchers. Patient Education and Counseling, 257-259.
Theme 1: Supporting Communication Skills in Health Care Interactions
Future-proofing the speech and hearing professions
This 3-year NRF-funded project uses a variety of methods to understand and support telepractice and simulated learning opportunities in Speech Pathology and Audiology.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Student and clinical educator experiences of telepractice and simulated learning opportunities
- Patient, clinician and caregiver experiences of teletherapy
- Observational studies of recorded teletherapy and simulation sessions
- Communication challenges in tele practice and simulation activities
- Developing ways of supporting students and clinical educators in using these approaches to clinical training
Communication in audiology project
This project focuses on understanding communication patterns between audiologists and patients/caregivers using various qualitative methods.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Case history taking and its link with feedback after testing
- Communication processes in consultations about tinnitus
- Enhancing students’ communication skills
- Breaking bad news in audiology
Emergency medical calls project
This project uses Conversation Analysis methods to understand interactional processes in emergency medical calls and improve the quality and efficiency of calls.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Complexity in calls
- Entitlement displayed by callers
- Language barriers and how these are managed
- Communication training packages for call centre staff
Communication in family medicine
Together with colleagues in Family Medicine and Paediatrics at Wits, this project focuses on medical students’ and graduates’ communication skills.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Student communication in peer role plays
- Doctors’ experiences of breaking bad news
Genetic counselling project
Led by Dr Megan Scott, this project focuses on risk and uncertainty communication in South African genetic counselling consultations. The project aims to strengthen communication skills for genetic counselling students and healthcare professionals working in this field to enhance and promote tailored patient care.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Risk communication
- Uncertainty management
- Context
- Professional and student training
Neurofeedback project
Led by Dr Johanni Beukes in conjunction with the Wits NeuRL group, this project focuses on exploring the potential impact of Neurofeedback Training (also known as Neurotherapy) on burnout.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- The effect of Neurofeedback Training on burnout-related symptoms, specifically focussing on academics (i.e., tertiary-level educators).
- The link between Neurofeedback Training and embodiment.
Theme 2: Exploring Experiences of Care [caregiving, care receiving & meaning of care]
End-of-life care project
Led by Dr Siobhan de Lange in conjunction with the Wits Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, this project focuses on experiences of communication and the needs of stakeholders involved in palliative care.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- The needs of informal caregivers for palliative care patients diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer
- Building capacity for palliative care support in public hospitals for both adults and perinatal cases
- Experiences of treatment decision-making amongst patients with a terminal diagnosis
COVID-19 Health Care Workers Project
Together with colleagues from Wits Psychology, this project focuses on mental health amongst healthcare workers during COVID-19.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Qualitative experiences of HCWs during COVID-19
- Frontline HCWs’ experiences of work during COVID-19
Loadshedding and mental health project
Together with colleagues from Wits Psychology, this project focuses on mental health during loadshedding in South Africa.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Mental health and life experiences of the general public
- Qualitative experiences of healthcare workers
- Qualitative experiences of small business owners
Adolescents Project
This project includes several interests related to mental health amongst adolescents.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Experiences of COVID-19 and mental health in high schools
- Exploring mHealth options for supporting adolescent mental health
Healthcare practices project
This project focuses on how healthcare workers construct knowledge, enact ethics and develop ways of practicing in the South African healthcare context.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- ways of practicing and harnessing intuitive expertise in the treatment of burns patients
- decision making and ethical principles related to PEG feeding for children with CP
Stroke care project
This project focuses on the experiences of stakeholders involved in acute and chronic care of stroke survivors.
Specific phenomena of interest:
- Brain-injured adults’ experiences of in-patient rehabilitation
- Support group volunteer experiences
- Significant others’ experiences of stroke support groups