This is a pre-publication version of the following article published by the British Psychological Association Counselling Psychology Review.
Please cite publication:
Fraser, N. (2023). Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) – A step-by-step guide for applicaon to research. Counselling Psychology Review., 38(2), 4-19.
Abstract
Context & Focus: The field of existential research is gently growing, yet currently relies on methods rooted in other psychological approaches. In 2014, Deurzen introduced her innovative phenomenological research method entitled: Structural Existential Analysis (SEA). SEA is increasingly being used as a secondary layer of analysis within qualitative research, yet few have applied SEA as an outright method before now. This paper expands upon the original SEA foundations to provide a clear, empirically supported 8-step guide for the application of SEA as an outright research method. The researcher’s personal existential journey and their subjective use of philosophical heuristic models are considered. Resources for immersion into global existential philosophies are provided, moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric sources to enrich the depth of insights available within the researcher’s project and wider disciplinary field.
Conclusion: Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) can be used as a stand-alone method of analysis for qualitative research. Unparalleled by existing research methods, this step-by-step application of SEA enables researchers to achieve a level of existential depth throughout their research journey moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric contributions, advocates the importance of the human behind the research, supports the researcher’s creativity and intuition within the research process, and provides resources for personal reflexivity and self-development. Positioned towards novice and qualified researchers, this step-by-step guide offers a foundation for conducting ethical, empirically valid, and replicable lived-experience research.
Keywords: Phenomenology; structural existential analysis; hermeneutic interviewing; four worlds’ model; timeline; emotional compass; qualitative research; existential
STRUCTURAL EXISTENTIAL ANALYSIS (SEA) –A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR APPLICATION TO RESEARCH
Introduction
It is a relatively underreported reality that many who train to become Counselling Psychologists do so with the aspiration to practice clinically and struggle with the research element of the training (Berman et al., 2017). In their historical overview of the profession, Vespia and Sauer (2006) note the challenges that the scientist-practitioner position has faced over the decades. Galassi and Brooks (1992) explain this coherently by assessing the discrepancy between a ‘scientifically-focused’ graduate education for a ‘practice-focused’ career. Echoed by many of my own peers training as a Counselling Psychologist, developing a research project felt alien compared to learning practical skills for working with clients. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches to research are available to Counselling Psychologists, yet with an emphasis on lived experiences many trainings promote the use of qualitative models (Ponterrotto, 2005). Trainings commonly introduce methods such as Narrative Analysis, Grounded Theory, and IPA (Frost, 2021). For those with limited experience, these popular research methods can be confusing and the idea of conducting a full research project overwhelming. This paper provides clear guidance for conducting qualitative research from a specifically existential approach, with the view to reduce overwhelm and increase practitioner self-care and confidence.
With limited experience in qualitative methodology and a passion for existential approaches, as a trainee my interest was sparked when I encountered a short but impactful paper by Deurzen (2014) entitled ‘Structural Existential Analysis (SEA): A phenomenological research method for counselling psychology’. If I was going to learn and apply a method from scratch, it made sense to select an existential one. From this moment, my passion for research began. This paper aims to inspire others to relax into the process, become more confident researchers, and embrace their personal existential journey.
Several predecessors have incorporated aspects of SEA by using one or more of the heuristic models in conjunction with mainstream methods as secondary layers of analysis, including Bennett (2014), Iacovou (2016), Christophy (2017), Garland (2019), Sadia (2020), Landenberg (2020), Crutchley (2020), and Sarksan (2022). Deurzen’s books demonstrate how SEA can be applied clinically and its transferability to research (e.g. Deurzen, 2013). Yet according to SEA expert supervisors at Deurzen’s academy where I studied, no-one had yet used SEA as an outright method. Having confirmed with Deurzen that it is possible to apply SEA as stand-alone research method, my application of SEA began and the novel, empirically developed 8-step process for which I was awarded my doctorate is what I share today.
The Theory
The current paper will not reiterate the theoretical underpinnings of Deurzen’s SEA at depth, as this is the primary focus of her original article (2014). Briefly, Deursen’s SEA offers the following layers of phenomenological investigation aspiring to “get to as much depth of truth as possible” (Deurzen, 2014, p. 57): Husserlian reductions; hermeneutic interviewing; working with bias; and three existential heuristic models which Deurzen (2006; 2014) has developed in increasing detail over her career based on the offerings of her existential predecessors: the Four Worlds Model/Four Existential Dimensions (Binswanger, 1963), the Emotional Compass (Solomon, 2006), and The Timeline of the Lifeworlds (Tillich, 1944; Heidegger, 1962). These three heuristics provide the basis for data analysis.
This paper offers a new approach to SEA which developed from the active intentions I set towards creating a clear, effective, empirically supported method of research that could be applied in my own doctoral research and could later become a resource for others. In essence, I initially experienced Deurzen’s SEA as a puzzle that provided me with many of the pieces but fell short of showing me the clear picture. That clear picture is what I hope to herby present. An 8-step process guides researchers from the start to finish of their research project. Within this, the analysis is broken down into 10 clear stages which guide the generation of empirically supported findings. Throughout the process, the researcher and participant’s experiences are considered.
A Step-by-step Guide for Application
Step 1: Immersion Into Philosophy
Differentiating SEA from other phenomenological methods is the requirement to actively immerse oneself in existential-phenomenological philosophies. Throughout time and across the world, thinkers have explored the ‘Big Questions’ in life reflecting on the meanings and experiences of being human. Existential ideas offer scientist-practitioners wider perspectives from which to navigate lived experience research. Beyond this, deeply confronting existential themes such as authenticity, mortality, isolation, paradox, freedom, limitations, responsibility, and choice opens invaluable passages of self-exploration and develops self-awareness, the importance of which is discussed in Step 2.
Western academic pathways promote immersion into philosophy primarily via Eurocentric textbooks which focus on a select few key philosophers. Aligned with the author’s passion for decolonising academia and addressing disciplinary decadence (see: Gordon, 2014), this paper strongly emphasises the value in exploring the rich global heritage of existential thought. Resources that summarise key existential ideas in an accessible way include: 'Existential Therapy’ (2015) by Mexican existentialist Yaqui Martinez Robles, who provides one of the most inclusive overviews of existential contributions to-date, spanning Europe, America, and Latin American. Kevin Aho’s (2024) ‘Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Existentialism’ is another inclusive and valuable source, and Mick Cooper will challenge the Eurocentric and male-dominated bias of Western existential traditions in his third edition of ‘Existential Therapies’. Louis Hoffman, Mark Yang and colleagues bridge Eastern and Western existential philosophies in ‘Existential psychology East-West’. In ‘Black Existentialism and Decolonizing Knowledge’ (2023) Lewis Gordon features research articles, short critical essays, reflections, interviews, poems, and photographs in the creative pursuit of liberation. Free videos such as ‘Existential Offerings’ and ‘The School of Life’ on YouTube increase accessibility to philosophical ideas. Films, literature, music, and art which stimulate reflection and confront existential themes are equally valuable resources. Above all, this author promotes curiosity and dialogue, with the self and with others from all walks of life. Little else provides such a rich source of existential exploration as deep conversation.
Step 2: Mindful Reflexivity | Validity
The subjective lived experiences of researchers inevitably influence any research they conduct. In qualitative approaches, researchers should acknowledge and explore this transparently. Reflexivity and bias awareness are fundamental for researchers to systematically attend to valid and accurate findings emerging (Malterud, 2001; Yardley, 2003), allowing researchers to immerse themselves in the multiple layers of meaning by moving between engagement with the experience and their awareness (Finlay, 2003).
Deurzen’s SEA (2014) promotes three basic principles of Husserlian awareness reduction relating to aspects of the arc of intentionality: phenomenological (noesis or cogitatio), eidetic (noemata or cogitationes), and transcendental (nous or cogito) reductions. However, she notes herself that Husserl (1977) continually devised different reductions and methods throughout his career. Over the past decade, the Husserlian approach to reflexivity within SEA has been challenged. Specialists in phenomenology and SEA researchers consider its application theoretically and empirically flawed (e.g. Garland, 2019; Zahavi, 2019) and note that it adopts a distinctly constructivist perspective (Vos, 2020).
Therefore, to conduct SEA I introduce a movement away from Husserlian principles of reduction towards a more updated, structured, and empirically supported process entitled ‘Mindful Reflexivity.’ Mindful Reflexivity offers tangible guidance for developing authentic awareness, enabling researchers to recognise their biases and verify the meanings and truths which unfold during research.
Key differences between Deurzen’s Husserlian reductions and Mindful Reflexivity are as follows. Firstly, Mindful Reflexivity attempts to offer practical guidance for application, in contrast to Deurzen’s theoretical overview of Husserlian reductions. Secondly, Mindful Reflexivity attempts to move away from philosophical jargon which is abundant within the three reductions, recognising that jargonistic terminology risks unintelligibility, obscurity, and overcomplication within academic discourse (Gaff, 2008). Thirdly, the application of Husserlian reductions is notably absent in qualitative research due to the debate surrounding its relevance to research and the misinterpretation of Husserl’s ideas (Zahavi, 2019). In contrast, Mindful Reflexivity draws on evidence-based work of researchers (Bolton, 2010) phenomenologists (Shaw, 2010; Smith, 2011) and meaning-focused practitioners (Frankl, 1985; Vos, 2017; 2020) enabling data to be investigated from a lived-experience rather than constructivist or descriptive lens. Fourthly, Husserl argued that the psychological–phenomenological reduction and epoché are “inauthentic and non-genuine” (Husserl 1997, p. 128), whilst Mindful Reflexivity draws on techniques specifically cultivating authenticity. Finally, training one’s attention and awareness through Mindful Reflexivity achieves a mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state. It attends to the embodied felt element of experience as well as the conscious element (Vos, 2017), giving deeper insight into the embodied nature of phenomena being explored which is fundamental for research projects with human participants. These qualities are absent within Husserlian reductions.
Mindful Reflexivity
While Deurzen (2014) attempts to differentiate between phenomenological reduction and meditation, in contrast to Deurzen’s statement that meditation is an “emptying” of the mind and “removal” of thought (2014, p. 57), meditation masters such as the Dalai Lama explain meditation as a process of training the mind, allowing the meditator to gain deep familiarity with and awareness of the subject of their focus (be that an object, a phenomenon, or themself), and enhance self-development (Lama, 2003). Research literature also promotes the value of meditation as an empirically supported means of cultivating the state of awareness and reflexivity necessary for phenomenological investigation (Lazar, 2005; Bolton, 2010; Hoffman et al., 2013; Vos, 2017).
Demystifying the terms, ‘reflection’ refers to a state of mind; an in-depth process of consideration, whilst ‘reflexivity’ refers to strategies of personal/professional development, awareness, and examination; “becoming aware of the limits of our knowledge” and “thinking from within experiences” (Bolton, 2010, p. 14). The Mindful Reflexivity process need not dogmatically differentiate between the two terms, enabling a reflexive and reflective journey without analysing which is taking place at any one time.
Mindfulness:
“…is a conscious exclusion of other elements of life, apart from that which is being attended to (Johns 2004), is achieved when senses and awareness are tuned into present action: the opposite of multi-tasking (Epstein 1999). Being mindfully aware develops accurate observation, communication, ability to use implicit knowledge in association with explicit knowledge, and insight into others’ perceptions” (cited in Bolton, 2010, p. 15).
By engaging with Mindful Reflexivity, the researcher’s increased self-connection enables them to intuitively discover emerging themes, critically evaluate them, and distinguish between their own and their participant’s experiences. In his evidence-based handbook for practitioners, Vos (2017) highlights how researchers are able to use their ‘phenomenological intuition’ to ensure that reality is fairly represented. Phenomenological intuition is “the individual's embodied, full-sensory receptivity towards their true self and an unconscious understanding of what is meaningful and valuable, and what is not.” (Vos, 2017, p. 44). According to Vos (2020), a researcher will need to be critical and reflexive to differentiate this intuition from their subjective opinion (think: gut versus mind). Evidence-based mindfulness techniques that may facilitate this critical reflection are offered in numerous texts (e.g. Lama, 2001; 2003; Vos, 2017). This practice will create a valuable resource for your Reflexivity section.
Examples of how mindfulness can be practically incorporated into the research process is provided:
Keep a reflective journal
Engage in a mindfulness exercise prior to each step of the process (interview, transcription, analysis, write-up).
Hold the intention of clearing the mind of theories, expectations, and biases, and the body of tensions and anticipatory sensations (Lazar, 2005; Kerr et al., 2013), enabling the researcher to become present and open to the new information being unveiled.
Throughout the research process, reflect attention between the research question, the lived experience occurring for yourself and when applicable for others, and the knowledge being revealed in each moment.
Step 3: Creative Formulation | Reliability
This stage of the process involves creating a unique and reliable foundation from which to conduct the analysis. This foundation refers to practical and theoretical elements of the process. While approaches such as IPA (Smith & Nizza, 2022) provide a clear and rigid structure, the existing literature on SEA does not. Thus, a clear 8-step structure to conduct SEA research has been developed and is presented in this paper. Aligned with the original ethos of Deurzen’s SEA, this structure encourages creativity. Researchers should appropriately adapt the process to best address their unique research question.
The Blueprint of Existential Dimensions
The Four Worlds Model organises four dimensions of existence: the personal, social, physical, and spiritual. Historically it has been represented differently, such as a spherical 'Four Relational Layers' figure and triangular 'Dimension of Existence' hierarchical figure (Deurzen, 2013). Yet both depictions give visually implicit emphasis to the size and relationship of each dimension which may be wrongly interpreted as related to each dimensions’ significance. Further, different texts detail different elements. Therefore, I provide a 'Blueprint' of the four existential dimensions. Combining the work of numerous predecessors, this resource offers a more expansive overview of existential philosophical paradigms (e.g Deurzen, 2013; Aho, 2014; Robles, 2015; Cooper, 2016). Immersion into philosophy via such texts will illuminate the significance of the themes and subheadings within the blueprint which the scope of this paper does not afford. It must be reiterated that the separation of dimensions is purely a task of organization, and each dimension should be considered as interlinked. As the researcher becomes acquainted with The Blueprint of Existential Dimensions, a deeper understanding of existential phenomenological themes is gained. This is integral to the emergence of themes during the analysis process.
Interview Questions
Qualitative research invites the use of unstructured, structured, and semi-structured research questions to obtain data. While structured interviews provide concise and controlled parameters, unstructured and semi-structured interviews provide an open scope for the direction of information provided (Malterud, 2001). Semi-structured interviews are considered most appropriate for SEA, providing a consistent foundation from which each interview develops thus strengthening reliability in the investigation of the phenomena, whilst simultaneously providing openness and flexibility (Langdridge & Hagger-Johnson, 2009). This facilitates participants to authentically explore and expand on the phenomena being investigated whilst staying aligned with the research question. Having engaged with Step 1 (immersion into philosophy) and familiarised themselves with the Blueprint of Existential Dimensions, existential concepts relevant to the research question may be used implicitly or explicitly to develop the interview questions.
The quality of data collected is dependent on the rapport between researcher and participant (Polkinghorne, 2005) and the researcher should consider their willingness to commit to this timely process. Several measures can be implemented to overcome the reliance on rapport, including engaging with hermeneutic interviewing techniques, training in counselling psychology, and self-disclosure.
Prior to conducting the research, undertaking the complete interview experience with a trusted colleague may enlighten the researcher’s understanding of their biases, providing a deeper understanding of their own position in relation to the research phenomenon thus enabling them to bracket this during the interview and analysis process. This exercise also enables clarification of whether the proposed interview will facilitate the emergence of valid and deep knowledge which the research question is exploring. Furthermore, this process indicates from an ethical perspective whether the questions will provide a comfortable-enough experience for participants, especially for research into sensitive phenomena (Fraser, 2021).
Step 4: Recruiting Participants | Sampling Rationale
When recruiting participants, the project aim and subsequent inclusion criteria must be clear. Participants are the heart of any study’s reliability and validity. The rationale for inclusion criteria should be well-thought-out and clearly presented. A purposeful sampling method, selecting participants who have detailed knowledge or experience with the phenomenon of interest (Malterud, 2001), is recommended to recruit participants. Beyond their experience of the phenomenon, research highlights the importance of participant's willingness and capacity to communicate their experience in an expressive and reflective manner (Bernard, 2002). A genuine co-presence between researcher and participant is necessary for SEA (Deurzen, 2014) and at all times ethical guidelines must be adhered to.
It is suggested that large studies with multiple participants and researchers may provide more universal understandings of phenomena (Deurzen, 2014) correlating with Husserl's phenomenology which is built upon the notion of intersubjectivity (Zahavi, 2019). Yet as previously outlined, the approach to SEA research being presented here does not seek from a constructivist ontological position to provide one universal truth based on intersubjective experiences. Instead, it values the unfolding of multiple valid truths from a critical realist stance, seeking deeper meaning through interpreted experiences of the researcher, participants, and the researcher-participants relationship (Vos, 2017).
Englander (2012) proposes the necessity to refrain from accepting the common misconception that large sample sizes are a pre-requisite to generalizable findings, especially when considering qualitative and phenomenological research. While large samples may offer an understanding of how commonly the phenomenon is experienced amongst a population - as achieved by quantitative research - small sample sizes in qualitative studies offer a detailed understanding of the meaning of the unique experience of the phenomenon. This is further emphasized by Crouch & McKenzie (2006) who acknowledge and explored the invalidations of ‘small’ sample sizes perpetuated in research fields. They highlight that with in-depth interviewing methods (such as the hermeneutic style of SEA) a participant is not ‘just’ one participant offering one experience, it is a ‘case’ offering a plethora of social and historically grounded experiences. For research based on depth strategies, sample sizes of less than 20 are deemed preferable (Crouch & McKenzie, 2006) and a sample of more than 3 is suggested to enable comparison (Giorgi, 2009). Therefore, a participant sample of between 6 and 8 participants is recommended, the efficacy of which is demonstrated by previous successful applications of SEA (e.g. Crutchley, 2020; Fraser, 2021; Sarksan, 2022).
Step 5: Hermeneutic Interview | Data Collection
Upon the recruitment of clients and completion of all required paperwork, the data can be collected. The hermeneutic interviewing stage of data collection draws on the researcher’s listening and communication skills. The term 'hermeneutic' derives from the ancient Greek meaning "to interpret". In the field of psychology, hermeneutics refers to the process of the interpretation of meaning through dialogue (Plager, 1994). ‘Double hermeneutic’ refers to the researcher interpreting the participant’s interpretation of their experience, or “the participants are trying to make sense of their world; the researcher is trying to make sense of the participants trying to make sense of their world” (Smith and Osborn, 2008, p. 53). Here, the Mindful Reflexivity process enhances the researcher’s awareness of their own process of perception, enabling them to discern between their own and their participants experience as both gain clarity into the phenomenon being explored.
Creating a Safe Space
To their best ability, the researcher must be fully available to the participant during the interview, going beyond the "relatively distant ways of interviewing" offered by most phenomenological methods (Deurzen, 2014). This can be achieved by mindfully cultivating a sense of calm within ones mind and body before entering the interview, and approaching participants and their words with open curiosity, gratitude, and compassion (Fraser, 2021). Relational skills of transparency and self-disclosure can be applied to create a safe environment, cultivating a genuine co-presence with both parties being inevitably altered by the experience. This has been described as a ‘feeling into the other’; Einfuhlung (Jaspers, 1951) and refers to the ‘dynamic dyadic interaction’ (Deurzen, 2014). Confidentially is fundamental at all times, and the physical surroundings either online or in-person should be considered.
Data Collection
The SEA interview process is described as a “co-creation of reality” (Deurzen, 2014). An authentic openness to others is necessary to cultivate an engaged and authentic relationship between researcher and participant. Constructing and familiarising oneself with the questions before conducting the interviews provides a strong foundation. Asking questions without judgment and with genuine compassion invites space for participants to calmly and authentically explore their unique experiences (Finlay, 2009). Mindful Reflexivity throughout this process will support the researcher to be attentive and reflective of what manifests in relation to each prompt. Printing one interview question per page, note reflections and initial themes which may start emerging during the interview.
Step 6: Transcription
Following the hermeneutic interviewing stage, the audio-recording must be converted into a transcript. A pseudonym should be chosen to respect each participants’ anonymity and confidentiality in accordance with ethical policies. While some researchers delegate transcription or use AI (Artificial intelligence), the process of transcription is far from an administrative task (Tilley and Powick, 2002). Personally transcribing the audio-recordings allows the researcher to further develop their relationship with the participant, the data, and the phenomenon being explored. During the transcription process, acute awareness and notation of the nuances and non-verbal information will reveal deeper insights into the phenomenon (Garland, 2019). Tables including question-/line-numbers are useful for recording when statements were made. Practicing continued Mindful Reflexivity helps draw attention to biases which may be noted in a reflective journal, allowing the separation of ones’ own experience from the participant's experiences'.
Step 7: Application of Heuristic Models | Analysis
Step 7, data analysis, is structured into 10 clear stages from which a detailed analysis supported by excerpts from the transcripts will develop. This should be presented as the Findings Section. Specific examples of the process should be presented in the Methods Section to demonstrate validity, reliability, and replicability (for examples see: Fraser, 2021).
The word 'heuristic' derives from ancient Greek meaning "to find or discover". In research, heuristics are ‘mental shortcuts’; techniques, strategies, or guides used for problem solving or self-discovery (Myers, 2010). There are many types of heuristics, and appropriately applying them can assist the process of gaining insight into the complexity of the 'truth' (Myers, 2010). Deurzen (2014) presents three heuristic models in the following order which this paper also recommends: The Four Worlds, The Timeline of The Lifeworlds, The Emotional Compass.
The analytical approach should be chosen prior to beginning analysis (for guidance see: Bingham & Witkowsky, 2022). ‘Inductive’ analysis is recommended, enabling themes to develop organically from the data. In contrast, some researchers may select a ‘deductive’ approach using predetermined themes. The rationale for this choice should be outlined in the Method Section. Based on a process of line-by-line analysis, notation of emerging themes, and organization of data, this section adds structure to Deurzen’s original SEA outline, offering 10 clear stages which take the researcher from the start to finish of their analysis.
Preparation
1. Open or print each transcript, ideally with wide margins for annotating emerging themes.Create four separate documents for each of the Four Worlds.
Line-by-line Analysis
2. Analyze each transcript line-by-line with a focus on the Four Worlds (see: Blueprint of Existential Dimensions, Step 3). Color code to enhance clarity: e.g. Personal (purple), Social (red), Spiritual (blue), Physical (green).
Inspired by thematic analysis methods upbound to particular epistemological or theoretical perspectives (Maguire & Delahunt, 2017), each transcript should be read and re-read from start to finish holding the research question in mind. While SEA promotes creativity over rigidity, and the exact nature of each researchers’ analysis will be determined by their perspective and research question, a line-by-line analysis is recommended to prevent significant data being missed. Words, phrases, and sentences which stand out as significant should be recorded as initial emergent themes, breaking the extensive data into small chunks. Elements are deemed ‘significant’ for several reasons related to: researcher’s intuition; validity tests, reliability and meaning; observation of holism, semantics and hermeneutics. Consider for example: does that [word] reveal something about the phenomenon in itself, as an element of the whole interview, and/or as an element of the combined interviews?
Depending on the researcher’s familiarity with existential themes, during this stage of the process they may analyse each transcript four times (once for each world) or may notice personal/social/spiritual/physical elements emerging in one review.
3. Copy all sentences relating to each dimension into the four dimensions documents accordingly. Include the line number and participant pseudonym with each excerpt to prevent any confusion over which participant shared it and when in the interview it was shared.
Emerging Themes
4. Analyze the data for emerging themes.
(For examples see: Fraser, 2021, p. 60-67)
The intuitive practice of themes emerging has been termed a process of letting the phenomenon reveal itself (Vos, 2013; 2020) and has been an integral part of producing valid qualitative research for decades (Yardley, 2015). An entirely subjective experience, the emergence of themes requires the researcher’s authentic connection to the phenomenon under investigation and their research question. Mindful Reflexivity and supervision can assist with the self-confidence required of the researcher to overcome any confusion or doubt that may arise during this stage of the analysis.
5. Re-read the statements within each dimension's document, observing the annotations from the line-by-line analysis and continually referring to the transcripts.
6. Make note of themes as they emerge on a separate document, in the margins, or create a table. Evolving notes into rough mind-maps can be useful for visual thinkers, linking main themes with related sub-themes subject to the researcher’s intuition.
Reflective Notes
7. Keep detailed reflective notes throughout. For example: any biases, feelings, personal experiences, connection or dissimilarities, surprises, paradoxes, or conflicts which may arise. These reflections may enhance the Findings, without relating to theory which should be left for the Discussion.
8. Repeat the above analytic steps for the Timeline of the Lifeworlds heuristic.
Analysis within The Timeline of The Lifeworld Model
Due to the thoroughly interwoven nature of existence, time, and emotional experiences it may be inappropriate to continue separating the data into different documents for different heuristic models.
Resembling the process conducted during the Four Worlds layer of analysis, conduct another line-by-line analysis this time focusing intentionality on elements of time. Words and phrases indicating or directly referencing time may initially be underlined for clarity. First conduct this within each of the four dimensions documents. Then return to the initial transcripts with the same focus to make sure no significant time references have been overlooked. Copy significant sentences into the relevant dimension/s document.
9. Repeat the above analytic steps for the Emotional Compass heuristic
Analysis within The Emotional Compass
Repeat the process for the third and final time, now with intentionality focused on words, phrases or nuances which indicate emotional experiences. For clarity, emotion words can be made bold at this stage. Again, conduct this within each of the four worlds documents. Then return to the initial transcripts with the same focus to make sure no significant reference to emotional experiences has been overlooked. Copy significant sentences into the relevant dimension/s document.
Having analysed the data with a focus on the four worlds, time, and emotions, the same excerpts may appear in multiple documents. The four dimensions documents are organisational tools, and integration of emergent themes will ultimately be presented in the Findings section.
Organisation of data
10. The final stage of analysis involves organizing emergent themes and subthemes into coherent findings. This will enable the insights gained to provide an original contribution to the field of psychology and be disseminated. See: Step 8 Presenting the Findings.
Step 8: Presenting the Findings | Thematic Overview
A thematic overview of the findings will be produced in this final step. The new phenomenological insights gained by applying SEA should be presented in a concise, articulate, and reflective format following the principles of hermeneutic interpretation (Deurzen, 2014). The meanings expressed by the participants should correspond with the newly exposed meanings understood from the analysis (Yardley, 2015).
Having applied the 10-stage process of analysis, the resulting data should now be displayed in four documents. There should be one document for each existential dimensions, and each should contain excerpts from the transcripts related to: the four existential dimensions, time, and emotions. The researcher should also have reflective notes and theoretical notes on the emerging themes.
Due to the volume of data, a clear presentation integrating the meanings found is required. The researcher should continually refer to the research question, transcripts, emergent themes, and their phenomenological intuition whilst creating a thematic overview. The researcher’s creativity is emphasised in SEA research. It is possible to draw on existing examples of data presentation or find innovative methods of their own, always with the intention of authentically presenting the insights gained. Examples include but are not restricted to: using emergent themes as headings and subheadings to clearly articulate the findings, using a written narrative to explain the theme in more detail, and further supported by excerpts of verbatim (for examples see: Fraser, 2021, p. 98-156); themes depicted in a table or graphics (see Fraser, 2021, p. 99, Fig. 2); images; poetry, etc.
Conclusion
Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) can be used as a stand-alone method of analysis for qualitative research. Unparalleled by existing research methods, this step-by-step application of SEA enables researchers to achieve a level of existential depth throughout their research journey moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric contributions, advocates the importance of the human behind the research, supports the researcher’s creativity and intuition within the research process, and provides resources for personal reflexivity and self-development. Positioned towards novice and qualified researchers, this step-by-step guide offers a foundation for conducting ethical, empirically valid, and replicable lived-experience research.
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