Not all human experiences can be expressed in words. Arts-based expressions may be useful to qualitative researchers as they can disclose people’s experiences with health, illness and disability. These expressions, which connect with non-linguistic and unexplored realms of experience, may support researchers’ efforts to honor the complexities of their lives. In our study, we explored and identified modes of expression among those sharing their experiences in health care and wellbeing research and practice. We present an inventory of human expression types based on a hierarchical classification and a literature review. The expression types which involve modes of both verbal and non-verbal knowing, show a bounty of possible ways for researchers and others to extend their study designs beyond verbalized accounts. We contend that using non-verbal expression types can assist qualitative researchers in fostering the articulation of complex experiences. As drawing upon a variety of methods in the inventory of expression types comes with new methodological bounds, researchers need to explicate their paradigmatic point of departure. It is expected that researchers, other professionals, and the general public will increase their holistic understandings of a subject’s experience by being open to a variety of expression types during data collection, interpretation, and presentation.

并非所有的人类经验都可以用语言表达。基于艺术的表达方式对于定性研究人员可能是有用的，因为它们可以揭示人们在健康，疾病和残疾方面的经历。这些与非语言和未经探索的经验领域联系在一起的表达方式，可能会支持研究人员努力应对生活复杂性的努力。在我们的研究中，我们探索并确定了分享其在医疗保健，福祉研究和实践中经验的人们的表达方式。我们提出了基于分层分类和文献综述的人类表达类型清单。涉及言语和非言语知觉模式的表达类型，为研究人员和其他人提供了许多可能的方式，使他们的研究设计超出了言语表述的范围。我们认为使用非语言表达类型可以帮助定性研究人员促进复杂体验的表达。由于在表达类型清单中使用多种方法带来了新的方法学界限，因此研究人员需要阐明其范式的出发点。预计研究人员，其他专业人员和公众将在数据收集，解释和演示过程中对各种表达类型持开放态度，从而增加对主题经历的整体理解。