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In this article we draw on literature from philosophy, history, and psychology to argue that empathy supports qualitative analysis of transcripts in several ways. We discuss examples of these processes both with data that we have co-created with our participants and data where we have not interacted with participants during data collection. What we suggest is not a new approach to analysis. Rather, we argue that the deliberate use of empathy bears potential to strengthen analysis across various analytical approaches. We explore five examples of how to access and harness our capacity for empathy as a resource in qualitative analysis: 1) Make time and room for prolonged engagement with data; 2) Use details and context actively when developing your understanding; 3) Practice decentering by actively seeking the perspective of the participants; 4) Attend to your own visceral experiences and body sensations; and 5) Utilize your capacity for imagination and creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influence from bias is unavoidable in clinical decision-making, and mental health assessment seems particularly vulnerable. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have increased risk of developing co-occurring mental disorder. Due to the inherent difficulties associated with intellectual disabilities, assessment of mental health in this population often relies on a different set of strategies, and it is unclear how these may affect risk of bias. In this theoretical paper, we apply recent conceptualisations of bias in clinical decision-making to the specific challenges and strategies in mental health assessment in intellectual disabilities. We suggest that clinical decision-making in these assessments is particularly vulnerable to bias, including sources of bias present in mental health assessment in the general population, as well as potential sources of bias which may be specific to assessments in this population. It follows that to manage potential bias, triangulating information from multi-informant, multi-method, interdisciplinary assessment strategies is likely to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]