Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Dec 19, 2024; 14(12): 1793-1796
Published online Dec 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i12.1793
Embracing the complexity of lived experiences in psychiatry research: Reflexivity, cultural sensitivity, and emergent design
Zhan-Shuo Xiao, Heng Zhou, Yi-Lin Jiang, Narina A Samah
Zhan-Shuo Xiao, Department of Dermatology, Guanganmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
Heng Zhou, Department of Student Affairs, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
Yi-Lin Jiang, Narina A Samah, School of Education, University Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Johor, Malaysia
Co-first authors: Zhan-Shuo Xiao and Heng Zhou.
Co-corresponding authors: Yi-Lin Jiang and Narina A Samah.
Author contributions: Jiang YL wrote the original draft; Xiao ZS and Samah NA contributed to conceptualization, writing, reviewing, and editing; Xiao ZS, Zhou H and Jiang YL participated in drafting the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript. All authors participated in critical discussions regarding the paper’s structure, focus, and theoretical alignment. Designating Jiang YL and Samah NA as co-corresponding authors is appropriate due to their complementary roles and leadership in the study. Samah NA, as the primary supervisor, provided foundational guidance and inspiration for the research, especially in shaping its focus on cultural sensitivity and addressing complex lived experiences in psychiatry. Jiang YL offered critical contributions to methodology and data analysis, ensuring the study’s adherence to rigorous reflexive practices. Their joint expertise and continuous oversight were vital in fulfilling the research objectives, making their co-corresponding authorship essential. The co-first authors, Xiao ZS and Zhou H, collaboratively conceptualized the research framework and jointly completed the organization and refinement of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yi-Lin Jiang, School of Education, University Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru 81310, Johor, Malaysia. yilinjiangs@foxmail.com
Received: September 30, 2024
Revised: October 30, 2024
Accepted: November 14, 2024
Published online: December 19, 2024
Processing time: 57 Days and 22 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: The core message of this article was that the integration of reflexivity, cultural sensitivity, and an emergent design approach is crucial to capturing the full complexity of lived experiences in qualitative psychiatry research. Reflexivity ensures that researchers maintain awareness of how their own biases and professional identities shape the research process. Cultural sensitivity facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of how mental health is influenced by cultural norms and beliefs. Emergent design introduces flexibility, enabling the research to adapt to unforeseen themes and the participants’ evolving narratives. Collectively, these principles foster ethically responsible and deeply insightful research in psychiatry.