Combined text and image analysis using software in qualitative research: Scoping review

Introduction: Human beings express their emotions through different types of language. The combination of verbal and non-verbal language makes it possible to broaden the capture of the senses and deepen the understanding of a certain social phenomenon. The use of software aims to support the systematization and optimization of the combined data analysis process; Goals: To map scientific production on the use of software for combined analysis of textual and visual data in qualitative research; Methods: Scope review carried out in four international databases (Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE and Web of Science), between September 2021 and January 2022. A semi-structured instrument was developed for data collection. The data processing and analysis process was supported by the Rayyan QCR application and the webQDA qualitative analysis software; Results: The final review sample consisted of 11 studies published between 2014 and 2022, mainly in the health area. The publications involved three types of qualitative analysis software: NVivo, Atlas.ti and MaxQda. Photography was the most used source to produce visual data, while focus and discussion groups stood out to produce textual data. Thematic analysis was used in most publications and the software essentially supported the data coding step in a combined way; Conclusions: The combined analysis of textual and visual data carried out with the support of software proved to be a methodological path still on the rise, given that the review identified only 11 studies published in the last eight years.