Qualitative Research

1. Qualitative Research A Very Brief Introduction Nick Le Mesurier April 2006 MSc Epilepsy.

2. What is qualitative research? “Qualitative research is multi-method in focus, involving an interpretative, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them.” Denzin & Lincoln, 2000

3. What is qualitative research? • Ituses inductive reasoning, multiple methods, and unstructured / semi structured data collection techniques to develop hypotheses about the social world.

4. What is Qualitative Research? • Sampling • Qualitative Research often involves small groups of people. • Sampling strategies: • Purposive – selected according to a known characteristic • Snowballing – selected by recommendation because ‘information rich’ • Convenience – select whoever is available – cheaper, quicker, but may have less credibility.

5. The ‘Place’ of Qualitative ResearchUse it when: • The topic is ill defined or poorly understood • Exploring why people behave the way they do • Exploring the perspectives / constructs of others • Exploring sensitive topics • Exploring complex topics • When trying to generate rather than test a hypothesis

6. The ‘Place’ of Qualitative Research • Can precede and inform quantitative work • Can follow quantitative work to clarify and explore in greater depth • Can work alongside quantitative work to help ‘triangulate’ a study. • Asks, ‘how’, ‘why’ ‘what’ questions

7. Advantages • Depth – explores complex motives, perceptions and values that lie behind behaviours • Sensitivity – to the richness and variability of the subject matter • Validity – allows participants to speak in their own terms

8. Disadvantages • Large amounts of unstructured data • Danger of sloppiness • Researchers lose sight of what they are studying • Reliability, generalisability, validity

9. Overcoming disadvantages • Reliability – independent review of data & analysis; meticulous records of each stage of the research • Generalisability – be explicit about the study’s sampling methods and findings • Validity – triangulation; feedback from participants, negative case analysis; supporting quotes, explicit contextualisation; reflexivity.

10. The ‘Place’ of Qualitative Research • Can precede and inform quantitative work • Can follow quantitative work to clarify and explore in greater depth • Can work alongside quantitative work to help ‘triangulate’ a study.

11. What qualitative research is NOT: • Easy to do • Unsystematic • A quick fix or a bolt-on extra / afterthought to more ‘serious’ methodologies • Able to provide statistically valid results

12. Examples of qualitative research questions: • In what ways do formal & informal carers negotiate ‘care’ on an adult medical ward? • What expectations of responsibility do GPs, consultant psychiatrists and family carers have in providing health care for people with severe learning disabilities?

13. Examples of qualitative research questions: • How do women with LD explain their experience of menopause? • What elements of satisfaction with primary care are experienced by people with schizophrenia? • Why do patients agree to participate in Randomised Control Trials?

14. Qualitative Research Strategies • Case Study • Single or small number of related cases of a situation, individual, or group. • Studied in its ‘natural’ context. • Use a range of data collection techniques – observation, interview, documentary analysis…

15. Qualitative Research Strategies • Ethnographic methods • Seeks to capture, interpret, and explain how the ‘subjects’ of the research live, experience, and make sense of their lives and worlds. • Researcher becomes immersed in the setting • (Non) - Participant observation.

16. Qualitative Research Strategies • Grounded theory study • Useful when there is little or no theory or concepts to explain phenomena. • Sampling strategies / choice of participants / focus of study can change as findings develop.

17. Qualitative methods • Interviews • One to one interviews • Focus group interviews • An interview is a structured conversation • The interviewer is an active participant in the interview

18. Structured interviews Semi-structured interviews Unstructured interviews (Group interviews) Quantitative Qualitative Interviews

19. Semi-structured Interviews • Topic Guide • Open questions, designed to elicit a response, to ‘open up’ a topic or theme. • May contain no questions at all – only a list of subjects to be covered in the interview • Do not have to be asked or raised in a prescribed order. • May be pre-determined by the topic of the study

20. Semi-Structured Interviews • The choice of questions / topics may change as the research progresses. • An iterative process – the researcher reflects upon the data obtained and the experience of gathering it, and reviews and revises his / her methods and / or informants as necessary. • Analysis proceeds at the same time as data collection. • It is a dynamic process!

21. FocusGroups • Also uses topic guide, semi-structured, iterative approach. • Preferably 6-12 people • Homogeneous – members share a common background, position or experience (e.g all staff / service users). • Heterogeneous – members differ in background, position or experience (e.g mixed staff / service users)

22. FocusGroups • Researcher acts to facilitate interaction between group members – not question / answer. • Risky! What if members don’t gel? • Whole interview should be recorded and transcribed. Members should be identified. • Ethical considerations must be transparent and effective – voluntary participation, feedback to participants, confidentiality, right to withdraw, support if issues become sensitive.

23. Practical exercise • Experiencing a research interview • Work in pairs • One act as interviewer, one respondent. • Conduct a short research interview – • Research Question: WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR PATIENTS WHEN CONSULTING A GP? • Respondent to act in the role of a patient, interviewer as a researcher.