Showing papers in "The Qualitative Report in 2001"

Using Case Study Methodology in Nursing Research

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a research method that may contribute a unique and valuable method of eliciting phenomena of interest to nursing. Case study method can be used as a creative alternative to traditional approaches to description, emphasizing the patient's perspective as central to the process. This manuscript will define case study method, and discuss various case study designs. Approaches and tactics from a variety of disciplines, and theoretical or philosophical perspectives are discussed with an emphasis on method and analysis. The bulk of the manuscript outlines the stages used in a case study of men with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD), as well as presenting a case study protocol. Implications for its usefulness in nursing research, practice, and theory generation are discussed. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss2/3 Using Case Study Methodology in Nursing Research by Donna M. Zucker The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 2 June, 2001

The Journey of a Beginning Researcher

Abstract: As I embarked on the first major research project of my career as a researcher, I sought a clearly written article that would help me through some common obstacles in qualitative research. This article outlines those problems and offers some solutions from one researcher's perspective. Some of the problems described and discussed include how to use theory and integrate it with data, the issues that arise from being a simultaneous researcher and participant, and how to represent participants with integrity and authenticity. This methodological piece offers suggestions for novice researchers as they embark on their own journeys as qualitative scientists. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Acknowledgements I am greatly indebted to the numerous people who have guided me in my research journey: JoBeth Allen and the rest of the LEADS group, who gave me something to talk about; Laurie Hart and my doctoral committee, who guided my dissertation research so expertly; Bettie St. Pierre, who introduced me to the world of qualitative research; Paige Campbell, who helped me think about "resistance" in a new way; my colleagues at Millersville, who have become my new mentors; and Laurel Richardson, whom I have never met, but who has shaped my research journeys in such significant ways. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss2/5 The Journey of a Beginning Researcher by Suzanne Schwarz McCotter The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 2 June, 2001

Constraints, Compromises and Choice: Comparing Three Qualitative Research Studies

Abstract: Although a number of texts explore social research strategies and methods, most are limited to a basic discussion of such methods and their associated advantages and disadvantages. Few if any, evaluate and compare methods in the context of actual research experiences. This paper endeavours to bridge that gap by reporting the experiences of three researchers working on three separate qualitative studies. All three studies were concerned with investigating the social milieu within organizations. While the research questions were different in each case, all the researchers shared a common goal to develop explanations for complex social phenomena manifest both internally and externally to each organization. The research strategies, methods and data analyses employed are assessed through the personal evaluations of the researchers. Thus, a singular opportunity is offered for other researchers to benefit from the practical insights and lessons learned. The collective experiences of all three researchers suggest that the contextual conditions and constraints of each study force certain compromises, but which importantly, do not compromise qualitative research studies. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss4/1 Constraints, Compromises and Choice: Comparing Three Qualitative Research Studies by Julia Connell, Colin Lynch and Peter Waring The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001

Elementary Teachers' Commitment Declines: Antecedents, Processes, and Outcomes

Abstract: This qualitative study examines the organizational, social, and personal factors that may influence elementary teachers' declining commitments. Our findings suggest that when the teachers under study felt unsuccessful, that is, when they experienced low feelings of efficacy and low feelings of community, teachers' commitments' shifted or declined. However, the impact of negative teaching experiences on commitments is far from uniform. Rather the teachers' commitments declined as a function of the teachers' understandings of their perceived failures. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss1/3 Elementary Teachers' Commitment Declines: Antecedents, Processes, and Outcomes by Christine Joffres & Margaret Haughey + The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 1 March, 2001 (http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR6-1/joffres.html)

Our New Children: The Surrogate Role of Companion Animals in Women's Lives

Abstract: As the rate of pet ownership increases, companion animals are fulfilling a variety of roles in the lives of their humans. This article provides insight on the role that companion animals play in the lives of women. The women in this study showed stronger attachments to those animals that either preceded the birth of their children, or followed the children leaving home. This finding has potential implications for services provided to women by various helping professions.

"Beyond Number Crunching:" Applying Qualitative Techniques in Sport Marketing Research

Abstract: Valid and reliable research is pivotal to successful sport marketing strategy. Market research may be gathered via either quantitative or qualitative means. This paper explores the theoretical background and practical applications of qualitative research techniques. It explains the appropriate context for qualitative approaches, and discusses sampling procedures with particular emphasis on the powerful but simple technique known as theoretical sampling. In addition, it clarifies and explores data analysis procedures. The purpose of this paper is to provide sport market research practitioners with a model for implementing qualitative methodologies in sport marketing campaigns.

Building a Typology of Self-Renewal: Reflection Upon-Life Story Research

Abstract: The current paper provides a researcher's account of the life-story method used in a study which aimed to identify patterns of the self-renewal process among women school principals in mid-career. The subjects of this study were 25 elementary school women principals aged between 43 and 52 in Israel. The paper outlines the practical aspects of the life-story method and contributes to our understanding of the consecutive pragmatic ways to implement a life-story method aimed to explore and develop a typology of a yet unknown phenomenon. Further, the ethical implications of doing life-story interview are discussed and presented. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss4/4 Building a Typology of Self-Renewal: Reflection Upon-Life Story Research by Izhar Oplatka The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Parental Experiences and the Role of Family Counselors

Abstract: This paper discusses the experiences of foster/adoptive parents who raise children diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the instrumental role family counselors can play regarding child management issues, intimate relationships, larger system collaboration, and research. For the actual study, six parents participated in individual, in-depth tape-recorded interviews. Each interview was transcribed, thematically analyzed, and revealed seven predominant themes including (a) constant vigil, (b) effects on marriages, (c) child management, (d) parental issues, (e) interactions with professional community, (f) emancipation concerns, and (g) medical implications. The ways in which family counselors can intervene are reviewed and include the role of clinician, facilitator, and researcher/educator. . Introduction Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) has been identified as the leading cause of mental retardation and is 100% preventable (Malbin, 1993; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1987). It is caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol (Streissguth, 1997). The diagnostic characteristics of FAS include specific facial features, deficiencies in growth, and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Children born with this disability may exhibit varying degrees of effect ranging from mild effects and behavioral difficulties to severe cognitive impairment and multiple disabilities. Because of the varying degree of effects and the lack of training in this area for professionals, including medical personnel, teachers, and human service providers, children are often under-diagnosed and as a result do not benefit from appropriate interventions, teaching strategies, and services. FAS is a condition that children do not outgrow. While some children are diagnosed with full FAS, others have only partial effects, usually central nervous system damage, without the facial features or growth deficiency (Streissguth, 1997). Children who exhibit only some of these characteristics are referred to as having fetal alcohol effect (FAE). Many children with FAE can be considered to have a hidden disability as it is often under-diagnosed due to the lack of a readily apparent physical disability. In 1990 the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimated that out of 1,000 children, 1.9 are born with FAS. This rate is nearly double the rate of Downs Syndrome and five times the rate of spina bifida. The rate of FAE is considered to be three times greater than FAS. If one were to extrapolate from these numbers, one out of the four million children born each year in the United States, approximately 7, 600 could have FAS and 22, 800 could be affected by FAE. Actually, these types of extrapolated figures are likely underestimated as both FAS and FAE are often undiagnosed (Streissguth, 1997). Research (Streissguth, Barr, Kogar, & Bookstein, 1996) has demonstrated that the secondary disabilities associated with FAS become more apparent as children mature. The primary secondary disabilities found in Streissguth's study include mental health problems, inappropriate sexual behavior, disrupted school experience, and trouble with the law. Although FAS has been identified as occurring at higher rates among certain groups (May, Hymbaugh, Aase, & Samet, 1983), prenatal exposure to alcohol affects children from all ethnic groups and socio-economic backgrounds. A Swedish study by Hagberg, Hagberg, Lewerth, and Lindberg (1981) found that more causes of mental retardation were from alcohol related birth defects than all genetic causes combined. It is now established that alcohol is toxic to the developing human nervous system and women who consume alcohol during pregnancy place their children at risk. It has only been since the early 1970's that researchers in the United States have identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) (Jones & Smith, 1973). Because alcohol is a teratogen (birth defects causing agent) and is a social drug that is used legally, it is difficult to comprehend the connection between alcohol consumption and FAS. For instance, in a survey of 13,000 women by Dufour, Williams, Campbell, and Aitken (1994), although 89%-92% knew that excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy could increase the chances of birth defects, only 29% of the child bearing age respondents considered FAS as being born alcohol addicted as opposed to having brain damage from alcohol exposure. It has only been since 1981 that the Surgeon General issued a recommendation that women planning a pregnancy or who are already pregnant should refrain from drinking alcohol. Until that time many women thought or were told that light alcohol consumption during pregnancy or when breast-feeding was acceptable. The level of neurological damage experienced by children is influenced by prenatal alcohol exposure related to the amount of consumption, when the alcohol was consumed during pregnancy, the particular conditions of the exposure, and the individual characteristics of the mother and the fetus (Streissguth, 1997). The annual estimated costs of FAS in the United States vary significantly. Estimates range from $75 million (Abel & Sokol, 1991) to $9.7 billion (Harwood & Napolitano, 1985). In response to the seriousness of the problem of children pre-natally exposed to alcohol, in 1994 the United States Congress mandated, in Section 705 of Public Law 102-321, the ADAMHA Reorganization Act. This act resulted in a study of FAS and related birth defects by the Institute of Medicine. Research in the area of FAS has primarily focused on basic animal research, clinical, and epidemiological studies related to the effects of alcohol use by pregnant women, studies to define the scope of the problem, and prevention. A 1996 summary report developed by the Institute of Medicine noted that no agency had been able to support research on the clinical aspects of FAS, the medical treatment of children with FAS, or the education and remediation of these children (Institute of Medicine, 1996). The lack of research related to remediation compounds the struggles that face parents and helping professionals alike. Available literature suggests that long term outcome indicates that children with FAS can in fact be successful when provided with appropriate supports and interventions (Davis, 1994; Kleinfeld & Wescott, 1993; Malbin, 1993; Smith, Coles, Poulsen, & Coles, 1995; Streissguth, 1997). Although current information is essential to understanding the physical aspects of FAS, there is a dearth of information pertaining to experiences of foster/adoptive parents who raise children diagnosed with this disorder. The literature is restricted to parental stress toward the physical handicaps of infants and children (e.g., Beckman, 1983; Frey, Greenberg, & Fewell, 1989; Morrissette, Morrissette, & Naden, 1998; Patterson, 1985; Rolland, 1994), long term pediatric illness (e.g., Holroyd & Guthrie, 1986; Tavormina, Boll, Dunn, Luscomb, & Taylor, 1981) and pediatric terminal illness (e.g., Koch, 1985). In an attempt to fill a void in the literature, this study attempted to systematically investigate the experiences of parents who raise children diagnosed with FAS and suggest ways in which family counselors can intervene. Research Question The nature of the research question is critical to the quest for rich description and interpretative understanding. Its purpose is to search for the meaning of a phenomenon so that it may be more fully understood (Ray, 1990). The research question that was asked in this study was: What are your experiences raising a child diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome? The impetus for this study stemmed from the absence of literature detailing the lived experiences of parents who play such a central role in the lives of children diagnosed with FAS. Although assumptions can be made about their daily challenges, it was hoped that the elicitation of actual stories would provide valuable insight for other professionals and prompt interest among researchers regarding the unique challenges and needs of these parents. Methodology Qualitative orientations are particularly well suited to counselling research (Gama, 1992; Nelson & Poulin, 1997). Phenomenological research searches for a deeper understanding and insightful descriptions of lived experiences that can be shared by co-researchers. Within this process, researchers distinguish significant features of co-researcher experiences and present a perspectival understanding of the phenomenon. This study attempted to systematically investigate the experiences of foster/adoptive parents. Co-Researchers Criteria for co-researcher selection included foster/adoptive parents who were (a) actively parenting children with FAS, (b) willing to share salient experiences of the phenomenon in their everyday lives and, (c) willing to illuminate the phenomenon of interest (Osborne, 1990; Wertz, 1986). Co-researchers were selected from the surrounding Missoula, Montana area. The recruitment of co-researchers originated from an FAS parent meeting. The meeting was organized to provide parents with an opportunity to discuss general issues and concerns related to services and supports. During the meeting participants were invited to participate in research interviews with the author. It was explained that the purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of foster/adoptive parents who raise children diagnosed with FAS. Because of busy schedules, parents were informed that the interviews would be conducted at their preferred time and location. Permission was obtained from co-researchers to audio-tape the interviews. The co-researchers within the study consisted of one male and five females who were all Caucasian. The mean number of years of experience as a foster/adoptive parent for a child with FAS child was 10. Pseudonyms were assigned to each of the six co-researchers. This study began with an indeterminate number of co

What Couples Say Works in Domestic Violence Therapy

Abstract: This ethnographic study adds to our professional knowledge about the effectiveness of domestic violence counseling. We learned from couples who had been court referred for domestic violence counseling what they found to be most effective in their therapy. The study was conducted by a student practitioner-researcher. The inquiry is written in an open manner and details the procedural steps, discusses trustworthiness specific to the inquiry, and includes reflections from the authors. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss3/3 What Couples Say Works in Domestic Violence Therapy by Jodi R. Allen and Sally A. St. George The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 3 September, 2001

Social Learning Theory and the Influence of Male Role Models on African American Children in PROJECT 2000

Abstract: This study is an assessment of observational learning commonly known as social learning theory of a group of 55 African American students who are participants in a mentoring program known as PROJECT 2000. From first through sixth grades male role models, who were largely African American, were in the classroom as teacher assistants. At the time of the study all student participants were in fifth grade. An interview was conducted featuring a short open-ended questionnaire. Students in PROJECT 2000 had an opportunity to express their feelings about the male role models that worked with them in their classroom. These interviews assisted the researcher towards understanding, how the bonding relationship between the children and the male role models in the classroom, may impact social learning. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss4/5 Social Learning Theory and the Influence of Male Role Models on African American Children in PROJECT 2000 by Rhonda Wells-Wilbon and Spencer Holland The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001

A Qualitative Investigation into Developmental Relationships for Small Business Apparel Retailers: Networks, Mentors and Role Models

Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to gain an understanding of the use, function, and support dimensions of developmental relationships for small business apparel retailers by applying focus group data collection techniques and interpretive analysis. Data collection took place through eight focus groups with small business owners/managers in six mid-western communities. Results indicate that, indeed, networks, role models, and mentors are viewed as necessary and important mechanisms for information, support, and guidance. However, focus group participants noted a lack of access to such developmental relationships. In terms of functions performed, having a business colleague to confide in, and relate to, was of particular importance in gaining access to knowledge and support in decision-making. Gender differences in the use and perceived value of the developmental relationship were also noted. Based on the study results, four hypotheses were inductively developed and pose areas for further research investigation. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss3/1 A Qualitative Investigation into Developmental Relationships for Small Business Apparel Retailers: Networks, Mentors and Role Models by LuAnn Gaskill The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 3 September, 2001

Toward an Understanding of Acquired Hearing Loss in a Family: Narrative Play Format as a New Voice in Qualitative Methodology

Abstract: This study examines how the reality of acquired hearing loss effects one family. Some consideration is given to the medical elements of the condition but the primary concern is with the psychological and social affects of hearing loss. The affects of the loss are revealed, by using systematic introspection in a narrative play format. This writing format is evaluated as the chronology of events, emotions, turning points and coping strategies are revealed. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss4/2 Toward an Understanding of Acquired Hearing Loss in a Family: Narrative Play Format as a New Voice in Qualitative Methodology by Bruce A. Kent, Brett E. Furlonger, and Delwyn A. Goodrick The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001

Let's Get Personal: Exploring the Professional Persona in Health Care

Abstract: This paper describes how a group of counselors and counseling lecturers at a rural university in New South Wales, Australia, initiated an exploration of their personal experiences as health care providers using an innovative research approach in which they engaged in a series of open, tape-recorded conversations with one another about their work. Their method also included transcribing and analyzing their narratives in a search for underlying themes in the thoughts and feelings that they shared. The intent behind their project was to find a way to voice how health care providers are affected by their work, and in so doing to make public the kinds of concerns, disappointments, fears, and difficulties they encounter -feelings that are seldom mentioned in the literature. The group was also hoping that their approach might invite other health care providers to engage in similar dialogues about how they, too, are personally affected by the work they do.

Once were science teachers

Abstract: This paper explores the development of three pre-service science teacher educators' understandings of some critical incidents in their development of science teachers that has impacted on the manner in which they teach about teaching in a teacher preparation program. The study draws on self-study methodology by situating their reflection on practice within a critical discourse whereby reframing has been important in learning through a reconsideration from particular critical incidents in their high school science teaching experiences. The authors argue that through critical reflection on practice, as illustrated in this paper, that the beginnings of the articulation and documentation of a knowledge base of teaching about teaching might be initiated. They therefore offer some of their emerging views on what that knowledge base might encompass through some assertions of practice that they believe impact on their teaching about teaching. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss4/3 Once Were Science Teachers by John Loughran, Amanda Berry, and Deborah Corrigan The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001

"She Even Walked the Dog": The Roles of Relational Context and Goal-Setting in a Welfare to Work Program

Abstract: This report summarizes an evaluation of the effectiveness of a welfare-to-work program that is operated by the Montachusett Opportunity Council (MOC) in Central Massachusetts. The study looks at how effective the program was in helping clients achieve goals towards self-sufficiency and tries to understand the particulars of the trusting relationships between staff and clients that provided the base from which they worked to address multiple concerns impeding family financial self-sufficiency. Acknowledgements This project is a product of the Community Partnership Outreach Center at Fitchburg State College, which was funded through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss3/4 "She Even Walked the Dog": The Roles of Relational Context and Goal-Setting in a Welfare to Work Program by Lynne A. Kellner and David Haddad with Ann G. Forcier The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 3 September, 2001 Abstract This report summarizes an evaluation of the effectiveness of a welfare-to-work program that is operated by the Montachusett Opportunity Council (MOC) in Central Massachusetts. The study looks at how effective the program was in helping clients achieve goals towards self-sufficiency and tries to understand the particulars of the trusting relationships between staff and clients that provided the base from which they worked to address multiple concerns impeding family financial self-sufficiency.This report summarizes an evaluation of the effectiveness of a welfare-to-work program that is operated by the Montachusett Opportunity Council (MOC) in Central Massachusetts. The study looks at how effective the program was in helping clients achieve goals towards self-sufficiency and tries to understand the particulars of the trusting relationships between staff and clients that provided the base from which they worked to address multiple concerns impeding family financial self-sufficiency.

Using A Story-Building Approach To Research Comprehensive Community Initiatives

Abstract: This article is the story of the author's experiences as a researcher-storyteller. She delineates the process used to "build a story" of the planning and development of a rural comprehensive community initiative. In a critically reflective look at this approach to community research, the author describes how she selected the research topic, defined the purposes of the research, selected the methods used in data collection and analysis, and approached the construction process of building the story through literary elements such as plot, scene, and voice. The strengths and pitfalls of this approach and suggestions for future research are discussed. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss1/4 Using A Story-Building Approach To Research Comprehensive Community Initiatives

Telling Transitions At The Table: Re-Served Seats of Higher Learning?

Abstract: This paper traces the transitions of first year students and other adults of the university as they partake in an intergenerational shared inquiry at a common table. My transformative research invites students, faculty, and staff to attend to (eat) and transform (digest) the moral and political encounters in successive becomings from their speaking positions at a common table. This dialogical partaking of words disrupts the market discourse of student as consumer and re-stories the university as a service organization where all organizational actors are consuming and being consumed. Eating together and telling transitions dissolve boundaries between service and knowledge, between students and other organizational actors, between serving and being served. To transform my writing into a service encounter, I re-present my research as the serving up of a multi-storied, multi-course meal at a common table. Bon appetit! Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss1/2 Telling Transitions At The Table: Re-Served Seats of Higher Learning? by Dorothy Lander The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 1 March, 2001

Community Practice: A Training Ground for Social Work Students

Abstract: Providing services to communities while providing education and training for social work practice in communities is at the core of this paper. These activities are discussed and reviewed in the context of social work in communities. Social work field placements (internships) in communities can provide positive learning experiences for students and excellent services to communities. The Winslow Project, a two-year community-focused placement for two group of first year master of social work (M.S.W.) Students is described and the results of this project are discussed. In order to fulfill a commitment to the community concept, students need a well-defined concept of group and community practice in order to provide the range and quality of services that are required for social work practice in the 21st's century global community paradigm. Providing social work intervention practices in the community is paramount to the further development of social work as a profession. It will also provide support and encouragement for communities to provide these supportive services within the community context. Social work history is rich with the type of models necessary for this to occur. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss1/1 Community Practice: A Training Ground for Social Work

Affirmative Action: An Analysis of AA/EEO Officers' Perceptions of Campus Policies in the University of Missouri System

Abstract: This study sought to explore the perceptions of affirmative action officers in the University of Missouri System. Each affirmative action officer on the four University of Missouri campuses participated in an electronic or personal interview in which they responded to eight questions regarding the implementation of affirmative action policies on their respective campuses. A comparison of the officer responses revealed that each university complies with federal affirmative action guidelines, but some of the institutions in the system developed additional strategies to attract minority faculty candidates. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This article is available in The Qualitative Report: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol6/iss3/2 Affirmative Action: An Analysis of AA/EEO Officers' Perceptions of Campus Policies in the University of Missouri System by Shawn Woodhouse The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 3 September, 2001