Qualitative research: How not to tear your hair out

1
Qualitative research How not to tear your hair
out!

• Karmen M. Garrett, M.A.

2
Why in the world?!

• Re-evaluation of the current research paradigm
• Limitations of Quantitative methodology
• Little research on the topic/population
• Not enough information to make hypotheses
• Your research question (or your committee)
  demands it

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Abstract

• The purpose of this study
• Investigate validity of RFL
• (Linehan, Goodstein, Nielsen, Chiles, 1983).
• Get reactions/suggestions for modification to
  items
• Qualitative study
• 19 gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults on the
  72-item RFL scale
• Protocol analysis interviews
• Results
• Reasons for living of participants expressed by
  many RFL items.
• Assumptions of traditional heterosexual lifespan
  trajectories/belief systems
• Chosen family," vs. biological relatives
• Relative moral beliefs vs. religious objections
  to suicide
• Care-taking responsibilities" vs. child-rearing.
  
• Differences potentially add ambiguity to RFL
  items
• May be responsible for observed unreliable test
  responses and lower endorsement of items in
  previous studies.

4
Why in the world?!

• Quantitative methodology assumed the construction
  of adaptive characteristics of G/L/B participants
  could be described through the objective
  observation of data
• (Neimeyer Resnikoff, 1982).
• Data on subjective meanings of items limited to
• comments given as participants turned in the RFL
  (e.g., McBee-Strayer Rogers, 2002)
• Suppositions of researchers after analyzing their
  data (Hamilton Sayger, 2004 Hirsch Ellis,
  1998, McBee-Strayer Rogers).

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Picking your poison, or methodology

• Interpretation of the data has lead researchers
  to question whether responses participants have
  given are reactions to the items on the RFL or a
  reflection of different reasons for living
• (Hamilton Sayger, 2004, Hirsch Ellis, 1998,
  McBee-Strayer Rogers, 2002).
• McBee-Strayer and Rogers suggested that in light
  of their findings, there is a need to focus on
  the development of a measure that reflects
  reasons for living specific to the G/L/B
  population.

6
Picking your poison, or methodology

• These research questions are questions of
  subjectivity
• The construction, experience, and functional
  value of participants reasons for living.
• Rather than attempting to categorize and quantify
  the experiences of a pre-established quantitative
  scale such as the RFL, some attempt to describe
  the lived experiences of G/L/B participants in
  their own words seems to be the next logical step
  (Ponterotto, 2002).

7
Going to the literature

• Suggestions from other authors in your research
  area
• Committee Members
• Journal of Counseling Psychology Volume 52,
  Issue 2, April 2005
• Patton, M. (1991). Qualitative evaluation and
  research methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA Sage.

8
Writing your methods section

• Look for other excellent qualitative examples
• Take the reader step by step
• Have a citation for every decision you make
• (sample size, interaction with participants,
  etc.)

9
Writing your methods section

• Be precise in your language
• Be prepared for someone to ask you why every
  step in your process
• Remember, there are as many appropriate
  methodologies as there are qualitative
  studies-sometimes you may be in a no-persons
  land.
• Examine your stimulus value in the data
  collection and interpretation processes

10
Interactive Protocol Analysis

• Semi-structured interview
• Thought process of participants
• (Chwalisz, Wiersma, Stark-Wroblewski, 1996)
• Inquiring stance
• Participants as experts
• (Bouchard, 1976)

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Interactive Protocol Analysis

• Adopted methods used by previous researchers to
  develop the measure
• participants were asked to generate possible
  items or additional factors that may be more
  relevant to the G/L/B community (Gutierrez et
  al., 2002 Westefeld, Cardin, Deaton, 1992)
• Questionnaire development methods
• participants given as much information as
  possible about study objectives (Bouchard, 1976)

12
Data Transcription, or the Dark Wood of Error

• Just as a swimmer, who with his last breath
• flounders ashore from perilous seas, might turn
• to memorize the wide water of his death-
• so did I turn, my soul still fugitive
• from deaths surviving image, to stare down
• that pass that none had ever left alive.

from Dantes Inferno, Canto I The Dark Wood,
verses 22-27
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Three Beasts of Worldliness

• The Leopard of Malice and Fraud
• Accurate recordings that are easily retrieved,
  understood, and transferred to other media forms
• Embrace the digital revolution!
• I used an I-River digital recorder and Dragon
  Naturally Speaking Preferred 7.0 software
• Test your equipment know how to use it
• Do a fake interview or session to work out bugs
• Keep accurate confidential records

14
All hail the technology gods!
I-River ifp-300 Series
Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred Dictate
directly into a PC or any Scansoft-approved
handheld digital recorder
15
Three Beasts of Worldliness

• The Lion of Violence and Ambition
• Transcription can be tedious, time consuming, and
  terrifying. You may be tempted to farm out this
  task to someone else.
• Get immersed in your data
• This is the only way for you to become the
  expert on your data
• Take care of yourself physically and spiritually
• Depending on your subject matter, the data you
  are collecting may be overwhelming. Do not
  forget to attend to your experience and engage in
  self-care.

16
Three Beasts of Worldliness

• The She-Wolf of Incontinence
• Lack of restraint Develop a sound methodology
  and trust the process.
• Do not be tempted to go over board in collecting
  data
• redundancy is redundant.
• Have some tolerance for ambiguity
• Things are likely to feel raw and unfinished,
  even after you have identified themes

17
Listening to Virgil

• Consuming quantitative data has trained many of
  us to see qualitative research as lesser
• However, you will have empirical data and your
  findings are no less true than other studies
• The unfinished feeling that follows qualitative
  research is warranted in quantitative research
  numbers obfuscate the experience of ambiguity
• All research is but one step in the journey to
  Truth, if She exists, worthier spirits will be
  sent to guide us

18
Listening to Virgil

• Therefore, for your own good, I think it well
• you follow me and I will be your guide
• and lead you forth through an eternal place
• There you shall see the ancient spirits tried
• in endless pain, and hear the lamentation
• as each bemoans the second death of souls.
• Next you shall see upon a burning mountain
• souls in fire and yet content in fire,
• knowing that whensoever it may be
• they yet will mount into the blessed choir.
• To which, if it is still your wish to climb,
• a worthier spirit shall be sent to guide you.

from Dantes Inferno, Canto I The Dark Wood,
verses 105-116