Grounded Theory and Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology and Healthcare

What is Grounded Theory?

A qualitative research methodology where theory emerges from the systematic collection and analysis of data.

What is the main goal of Grounded Theory?

To develop a theory of great conceptual density, emphasizing richness in concept development.

What is the constant comparative method in Grounded Theory?

A process involving constant comparisons of categories, themes, and hypotheses with the data to formulate theory.

What are the two levels of data coding in Grounded Theory?

1. Identifying information about the data as it is collected. 2. Interpretive constructs related to analysis for categorization.

What is the significance of Glaser & Strauss's 1967 work?

They authored 'The Discovery of Grounded Theory,' which established the methodology.

What are common data collection methods in qualitative research?

Observational fieldwork, interviews, focus groups, artifacts, medical charts, historical records, blogs, and communications.

What is the definition of evidence-based practice (EBP)?

The integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values.

What are the limitations of standardized tests in rehabilitation settings?

They can be difficult to apply due to complex and multifactorial patient presentations and context-dependent outcomes.

What is the theory-practice knowledge gap?

A disconnect between scientific knowledge and clinical practice that qualitative research helps bridge.

What are the assumptions of the qualitative paradigm regarding context and human behavior?

People cannot be separated from their environment, and human behavior can only be understood within its context.

What is the purpose of qualitative research?

To understand people within a specific setting and time and to generate new theories using an inductive approach.

When should qualitative methods be used?

When little is known about the phenomenon, when seeking the insider's perspective, or when context is essential.

What is triangulation in qualitative research evaluation?

The comparison of data and results from multiple sources to ensure comprehensiveness and encourage reflexive analysis.

What is member checking in qualitative research?

Re-checking data and findings with participants to confirm the accuracy of meaning and reduce errors.

What does comprehensive exposition and audit trail entail?

A clear account of data collection and analysis, including links between analysis and interpretations.

What is reflexivity in qualitative research?

Sensitivity to how the researcher and research process shape data collection and analysis.

What are common end products of qualitative research?

Descriptions, themes or categories, and theories or conceptual models.

What is the role of qualitative research in physical therapy?

It helps close the theory-practice gap by translating real experiences into meaningful contributions to PT knowledge.

What is the analytic induction method in qualitative research?

A refinement of hypotheses that involves analyzing negative or discrepant cases to achieve a close fit between hypothesis and data.

What are manifestations of theory in qualitative research?

Models, concept maps, and conceptual frameworks.

What is the cyclical nature of qualitative research?

It involves a systematic description and interpretation process that generates new concepts through iterative analysis.

What is the significance of qualitative research in understanding human behavior?

It captures the complexity of human experiences, behaviors, and contexts that quantitative methods may overlook.

What is the focus of qualitative research evaluation compared to quantitative research?

Qualitative research emphasizes authenticity and plausibility, while quantitative research focuses on validity and reliability.

What does the term 'conceptual density' refer to in Grounded Theory?

The richness of concept development within the generated theory.

What is positionality in qualitative research?

The position from which a researcher conducts the research, acknowledging that the researcher is part of the research.

What is negative case analysis?

Identifying data that contradicts or appears to contradict emerging explanations, which may lead to additional data collection and analysis.

What is the purpose of peer review in qualitative research?

To involve an outside researcher in recoding and/or categorizing data, often through publication.

What does evaluating relevance in qualitative research assess?

It assesses if the study has contributed useful knowledge, confirmed or disconfirmed present knowledge, or bridged the theory-practice gap.

What is transferability in qualitative research?

Describing findings in rich, thick description/contextual detail, including the participant's perspective.

What are the key qualitative considerations in research evaluation?

Trustworthiness, credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.

What ethical considerations are important in qualitative research?

Informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, protection of human rights, and representation.

What is the significance of clarity in the research question?

A clear research question guides the study and ensures relevance and focus.

What is the role of observational fieldwork in qualitative research?

It involves systematic, deliberate observation in natural settings to understand contextual phenomena.

What is the difference between a complete observer and a participant observer?

A complete observer does not interact with the subjects, while a participant observer engages with the subjects during the observation.

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

The phenomenon where individuals alter their behavior due to the awareness of being observed.

What are the core concepts of observational fieldwork?

It is based on scientific inquiry, provides contextual understanding, and offers an outsider perspective.

What should be included in field notes during observational research?

Highly descriptive accounts, diagrams, direct quotes, and the observer's comments.

What is the purpose of gaining entry in qualitative research?

To seek formal permission and gain the trust of individuals controlling access to the research setting.

What is the COREQ checklist?

A 32-item checklist for reporting qualitative research, specifically for interviews and focus groups.

What are the advantages of focus groups in qualitative research?

They generate rich data through interaction, stimulate deeper thinking, and capture nuances in communication.

What are the disadvantages of focus groups?

Potential negative effects of group dynamics, such as dominant members and reluctance to share honestly.

What is the importance of the researcher's role in qualitative research?

The researcher acts as an instrument, requiring good observational skills and systematic recording.

What is the goal of qualitative research methods?

To explore attitudes, experiences, and opinion construction through rich, detailed data.

What is the role of data triangulation in qualitative research?

To cross-reference data from different sources to enhance the validity of findings.

What is the significance of prolonged engagement in qualitative research?

It ensures the researcher spends adequate time in the setting to relate findings to other contexts.

What does systematic data analysis involve?

It includes procedures for coding, categorization, and theory development, ensuring all data is incorporated.

What is the purpose of a research journal in qualitative research?

To document the researcher's thoughts, impressions, and reflections, aiding in further data analysis.

What does the term 'emic perspective' refer to in qualitative research?

The viewpoint of the participant, emphasizing their experiences and interpretations.

What is the main takeaway regarding observational fieldwork?

It is a foundational qualitative research method requiring careful planning and ethical practice.

What is the main focus of ethnography in qualitative research?

Ethnography focuses on developing concepts and understandings of human behavior from an insider's (emic) perspective.

What are the key characteristics of ethnography?

Ethnography studies commonalities among individuals due to shared group membership, such as village culture, ethnic culture, or professional culture.

What is the role of the researcher in ethnographic studies?

The researcher serves as the research instrument and must consider their positionality and reflexivity.

What is reflexivity in the context of ethnographic research?

Reflexivity involves considering personal biases and assumptions while comparing insider (emic) and outsider (etic) perspectives.

What methods are commonly used in ethnographic data collection?

Common methods include observation, participant observation, interviews, and artifacts.

What is the outcome of an ethnographic study?

The outcome can be descriptive or interpretive, depending on the depth of understanding required.

What is phenomenology in qualitative research?

Phenomenology attempts to understand individuals' interpretations of their world by exploring attitudes, feelings, and beliefs.

What are the two main types of phenomenology?

Descriptive phenomenology, which focuses on illuminating experiences, and interpretive phenomenology, which seeks to understand meanings.

What is 'bracketing' in descriptive phenomenology?

Bracketing involves suspending previous knowledge and assumptions to describe experiences without imposing meanings.

What is the goal of interpretive phenomenology?

The goal is to actively seek meanings and interpretations beyond mere description.

What is a qualitative case study?

A qualitative case study is an in-depth investigation of a single instance, focusing on detailed understanding rather than generalization.

What are the three types of qualitative case studies?

Intrinsic, instrumental, and collective case studies.

What is the purpose of an intrinsic case study?

To better understand a particular case itself, revealing its story without aiming to understand a broader phenomenon.

What distinguishes an instrumental case study?

An instrumental case study aims to provide insight into a particular phenomenon, with the case serving as a secondary focus.

What is action research?

Action research is a qualitative design focusing on collaborative work with participants to produce knowledge and action useful for solving problems.

What are the main goals of action research?

To empower participants, work collaboratively, and produce actionable knowledge for vulnerable populations.

What is content analysis in qualitative research?

Content analysis is a method that has evolved from quantitative to qualitative, analyzing text data for content and meaning.

What are the three main approaches to content analysis?

Conventional, directed, and summative approaches, each suited for different levels of existing knowledge.

What is the significance of saturation in focus group research?

Saturation is reached when no new information or themes emerge from multiple focus groups.

What is the responsibility of a moderator in focus group research?

To prepare logistics, facilitate discussion, ensure objectives are met, and maintain a comfortable environment.

What is the importance of confidentiality in qualitative research?

Confidentiality protects participants' identities and promotes open and honest discussion.

What does 'double hermeneutics' refer to in interpretive phenomenology?

Double hermeneutics refers to the idea that both the participant and the researcher contribute to the interpretive meanings.

What is the end product of phenomenological research?

Typically descriptive, providing a vivid picture of the phenomenon from the subject's perspective.

What is a common method used in qualitative case studies?

Interviews, which are typically unstructured or semi-structured.

What is qualitative content analysis?

A method that codes text data into explicit categories and describes it statistically, focusing on language characteristics and meaning.

What are the three types of qualitative content analysis?

Conventional Content Analysis, Directed Content Analysis, and Summative Content Analysis.

What is the aim of Conventional Content Analysis?

To describe a phenomenon with little prior knowledge, allowing categories to emerge from the data.

What distinguishes Directed Content Analysis from other types?

It uses existing theory or prior research to validate or extend a theoretical framework.

What is the focus of Summative Content Analysis?

To identify and quantify words or context in text, aiming to discover underlying meanings and explore word usage.

What are the characteristics of the Quantitative research paradigm?

Reflects biomedical values, based on the scientific method, and is highly valued in physical therapy.

What are the strengths of the Quantitative paradigm?

High reliability, ability to gather large data sets, statistical proof, and strong evidence for interventions.

What are the weaknesses of the Quantitative paradigm?

Inappropriate for measuring emotions, separates practice from natural settings, and provides limited rich information.

What are the strengths of the Qualitative research paradigm?

Considers clients in their natural settings and seeks to understand their values, beliefs, and perspectives.

What are the weaknesses of the Qualitative paradigm?

Cumbersome data, researcher bias, and low generalizability.

What is the purpose of qualitative interviews?

To learn about things not directly observable and gain rich descriptions beyond general surveys.

What are the three types of qualitative interviews?

Highly Structured, Semi-structured, and Unstructured.

What is a Highly Structured interview?

An oral form of a survey that does not allow participant elaboration.

What characterizes an Unstructured interview?

It features broad, general questions and allows the researcher to learn as the interview progresses.

What is a Semi-structured interview?

It uses open-ended questions that allow for illustration and elaboration while covering known topics.

What considerations should be made when conducting qualitative interviews?

Encouraging sharing, ensuring confidentiality, allowing participants to lead, and establishing a conversational tone.

What are some tips for interviewers conducting qualitative interviews?

Listen actively, avoid interruptions, take a passive role, and allow for silence.

What is the Delphi Method?

A structured communication technique used in qualitative research involving a panel of anonymous experts to reach consensus.

What is the historical significance of the Delphi Method?

Developed by the RAND Corporation in the 1950s, it was used for making predictions and later adopted by the nursing profession.

How does the iterative process of the Delphi Method work?

Experts respond to rounds of questionnaires, modifying their opinions based on feedback until a consensus is reached.

What are the advantages of the Delphi Method?

Anonymity of experts, elimination of bias, and the ability to solicit opinions from a wide geographic area.

What are the disadvantages of the Delphi Method?

Potential decline in participation, difficulty identifying experts, and limited opportunity for detailed elaboration.

What is the role of the researcher in the Delphi Method?

To recruit knowledgeable experts and justify their choice based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.

What is the goal of integrating quantitative and qualitative paradigms?

To use both approaches together for a more comprehensive understanding of research topics.