Showing papers on "Grounded theory published in 2005"

Qualitative Research Methods

Abstract: Introduction Part 1 Background to Qualitative Research 1. Theoretical Frameworks and Sampling in Qualitative Research 2. Rigour and Ethics in Qualitative Research Part 2 Types of Qualitative Research Methods 3. In-depth Interviewing Method 4. Focus Groups 5. Unobtrusive Methods 6. Narrative Inquiry Methodology: Life and Oral History, Life Story and Biographical Research. 7. Memory-work 8. Ethnography 9. Participatory Action Research 10. Qualitative Case Study Research 11. Grounded Theory Research Part 3 Applications of Qualitative Research 12. Researching the 'Vulnerable' 13. Going Online: Doing Qualitative Research in Cyberspace 14. Making Sense of Qualitative Data: Analysis Process 15. Writing a Qualitative Research Proposal 16. Writing a Qualitative Research Report 17. Qualitative Research: New Directions Glossary References

Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology.

Abstract: This article examines concepts of the trustworthiness, or credibility, of qualitative research. Following a “researcher-as-instrument,” or self-reflective, statement, the paradigmatic underpinnings of various criteria for judging the quality of qualitative research are explored, setting the stage for a discussion of more transcendent standards (those not associated with specific paradigms) for conducting quality research: social validity, subjectivity and reflexivity, adequacy of data, and adequacy of interpretation. Finally, current guidelines for writing and publishing qualitative research are reviewed, and strategies for conducting and writing qualitative research reports are suggested. Qualitative research, ensuing from a variety of disciplines, paradigms, and epistemologies, embraces multiple standards of quality, known variously as validity, credibility, rigor ,o rtrustworthiness. In addition to some standards that may be thought of as somewhat universal across disciplines and paradigms, the “goodness” (Morrow & Smith, 2000) of qualitative inquiry is assessed on the basis of the paradigmatic underpinnings of the research and the standards of the discipline. Thus, a grounded theory study or a consensual qualitative research investigation in counseling psychology that is rooted in a postpositivist or constructivist/interpretivist paradigm will look quite different from a critical ethnography in education; and the standards appropriate for evaluating these studies will vary accordingly. I begin this article by addressing the paradigmatic underpinnings of trustworthiness or rigor in qualitative research. Next, I discuss central topics related to trustworthiness or validity that span paradigms and may be thought of as relevant across most research designs. I then provide an overview of guidelines that have been suggested for evaluating qualitative research, particularly in psychology. Finally, I offer recommendations for enhancing the quality of qualitative research in counseling psychology and suggest strategies for writing and publishing. First, however, in keeping with the standard of reflexivity as a way for researchers to inform their audiences about their perspectives as well as to manage their subjectivities, I describe my own assumptions about qualitative research methodology and quality.

Situational Analysis: Grounded Theory After the Postmodern Turn

Abstract: List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue: Regrounding Grounded Theory 1. Pushing and Being Pulled Around the Postmodern Turn Grounded Theory/Symbolic Interactionism as a Theory/Methods Package Grounded Theory/Symbolic Interactionism as Always Already Around the Postmodern Turn Grounded Theory as Recalcitrant Against the Postmodern Turn Pushing Grounded Theory Around the Postmodern Turn Reflections and Anticipations 2. From Chicago Ecologies to Situational Analysis Root Metaphors: From Chicago School Social Ecologies to Social Worlds/Arenas/Discourses New Roots I: Foucault and the Interactionist Project New Roots II: Taking the Nonhuman Explicitly Into Account New Roots III: From Social Worlds/Arenas to Situational Maps and Analysis Project Design, Data Gathering, and Accountability Temporary Closures 3. Doing Situational Maps and Analysis Doing Situational Maps Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps Doing Positional Maps Final Products: Project Maps Provisional Conclusions 4. Turning to Discourse(s) Introducing Discourse Analysis Multisite/Multiscape Research Issues in Situational Analysis of Discourse(s) Turnings 5. Mapping Narrative Discourses Designing a Narrative Project Doing Situational Maps of Narrative Discourse Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Narrative Discourse Doing Positional Maps of Narrative Discourse Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Narrative Discourse 6. Mapping Visual Discourses Entering Visual Discourse Doing Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse Visual Discourse Exemplars: Moore and Clarke's Anatomies Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse 7. Mapping Historical Discourses Designing Historical and Historicizing Projects Doing Situational Maps of Historical Discourse Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Historical Discourse Doing Positional Maps of Historical Discourse Project Map of Historical Discourse Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Historical Discourse Epilogue: FAQs and Conversations References Index About the Author

Grounded theory, ethnography and phenomenology: A comparative analysis of three qualitative strategies for marketing research

Abstract: – The paper aims to look at some of the problems commonly associated with qualitative methodologies, suggesting that there is a need for a more rigorous application in order to develop theory and aid effective decision making., – The paper examines three qualitative methodologies: grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology. It compares and contrasts their approaches to data collection and interpretation and highlights some of the strengths and weaknesses associated with each one., – The paper suggests that, while qualitative methodologies, as opposed to qualitative methods, are now an accepted feature of consumer research, their application in the truest sense is still in its infancy within the broader field of marketing. It proposes a number of possible contexts that may benefit from in‐depth qualitative enquiry., – The paper should be of interest to marketers considering adopting a qualitative perspective, possibly for the first time, as it offers a snap‐shot of three widely‐used methodologies, their associated procedures and potential pitfalls.

Applying thematic analysis theory to practice: a researcher's experience

Abstract: This article describes an experience of thematic analysis. In order to answer the question 'What does analysis look like in practice?' it describes in brief how the methodology of grounded theory, the epistemology of social constructionism, and the theoretical stance of symbolic interactionism inform analysis. Additionally, analysis is examined by evidencing the systematic processes--here termed organising, coding, writing, theorising, and reading--that led the researcher to develop a final thematic schema.

Grounded Theory Methods and Qualitative Family Research.

Abstract: Among the different qualitative approaches that may be relied upon in family theorizing, grounded theory methods (GTM), developed by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss, are the most popular. Despite their centrality to family studies and to other fields, however, GTM can be opaque and confusing. Believing that simplifying GTM would allow them to be used to greater effect, I rely on 5 principles to interpret 3 major phases in GTM coding: open, axial, and selective. The history of GTM establishes a foundation for the interpretation, whereas recognition of the dialectic between induction and deduction underscores the importance of incorporating constructivism in GTM thinking. My goal is to propose a methodologically condensed but still comprehensive interpretation of GTM, an interpretation that researchers hopefully will find easy to understand and employ. Key Words: content analysis, grounded theoretical analysis, qualitative methods, theory construction. There is an irony-perhaps a paradox-here: that a methodology that is based on "interpretation" should itself prove so hard to interpret. (Dey, 1999, p. 23) Beginning in the early 1970s with the creation of the National Council on Family Relations' Theory Construction and Research Methodology Workshop, and continuing through a series of volumes on family theories and methods (Bengtson, Acock, Allen, Dilworth-Anderson, & Klein, 2005a; Boss, Doherty, LaRossa, Schumm, & Steinmetz, 1993; Burr, Hill, Nye, & Reiss, 1979a, 1979b), family studies has become a field where methodologically based theorizing matters. Cognizant of this fact, family scholars place a premium on research techniques that facilitate the development of new ideas. In quantitative studies, multivariate statistical techniques are essential to the theorizing process. In qualitative studies, any number of approaches may be used to generate theory, but family scholars tend to rely on a multivariate nonstatistical (or quasistatistical) set of procedures, known as grounded theory methods (GTM). GTM were originally devised to facilitate theory construction, and their proponents routinely assert that a GTM approach promotes theorizing in ways that alternative methods do not (see Glaser, 1978, 1992; Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss, 1987; Strauss & Corbin, 1990a, 1998). Besides being drawn to GTM's theory-generating potential, family scholars may be attracted to GTM's compatibility with quantitative research. Unlike some other qualitative approaches, which are expressly descriptive in their intent (e.g., phenomenological analysis), GTM are purposefully explanatory (Baker, Wuest, & Stern, 1992). With government granting agencies viewing quantitative and qualitative methods as "mutually supportive" (National Institutes of Health, 2001; see also Ragin, Nagel, & White, 2004), investigators may feel that referring to GTM procedures in their proposals will increase their chances of getting funded. Yet another reason that family scholars may be disposed to use GTM is that a number of qualitative software programs (e.g., ATLAS, ETHNOGRAPH, and NUD*IST) were designed-or are at least believed to have been designed or reconfigured-with GTM in mind (Scale, 2005). Given the many books and articles devoted to outlining the procedures, one might presume that a basic grasp of GTM is within easy reach. Such is not the case, however. Apart from the fact that GTM guidelines can be opaque and confusing, there is also a war of sorts being fought among different GTM interpreters. Debates abound over whose version of GTM is genuine, and the verbal sparring occasionally has gotten nasty. Studying GTM can be exhilarating, but it also can be extremely challenging, with an inordinate amount of time devoted to trying to figure out what different GTM procedures mean. Some of my students have confessed that they found doing grounded theory more tiring than inspiring, and a few have abandoned the approach altogether, after deciding that the procedures were needlessly cumbersome. …

Mapping the Process: An Exemplar of Process and Challenge in Grounded Theory Analysis:

Abstract: This article responds to recent calls for greater clarity and transparency regarding methods in qualitative research. On the basis of a 3-year ethnographic study of the overrepresentation of minorities in special education, the authors address key tenets of grounded theory and attempt to reconcile some of the methodological challenges inherent in naturalistic inquiry. They discuss theoretical considerations and use a visual model to illustrate how they applied grounded theory to this complex and sensitive topic. Emphasizing the social nature of decision making in special education, the authors point to the appropriateness of qualitative methods to the investigation of such issues.

Paradigms, praxis, problems, and promise: Grounded theory in counseling psychology research.

Abstract: In this article, the author presents an overview of the qualitative research approach termed grounded theory (B. G. Glaser, 1978, 1992; B. G. Glaser & A. L. Strauss, 1967; A. L. Strauss, 1987; A. L. Strauss & J. Corbin, 1990, 1998). The author first locates the method conceptually and paradigmatically (paradigms) and then outlines the procedures for implementing it and judging its quality (praxis). The author follows with a discussion of selected issues that arise in using the approach (problems) and concludes by noting the appropriateness of grounded theory for counseling psychology research (promise).

Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology

Abstract: Part 1 The basics of research 1 The role of research in psychology 2 Aims and hypotheses in research 3 Variables, concepts and measures 4 The problems of generalisationn and decision-making in research: Chance findings and sample size 5 Research reports: The total picture 6 Examples of how to write research reports 7 The literature search 8 Ethics and data management in research Part 2 Quantitative research methods 9 The basic laboratory experiment 10 Advanced experimental design 11 Cross-sectional or correlational research: Non-manipulation studies 12 Longitudinal studies 13 Sampling and population surveys Part 3 Fundamentals of testing and measurement 14 Psychological tests: Their use and construction 15 Reliability and validity: Evaluating the value of tests and measures 16 Coding data Part 4 Qualitative research methods 17 Why qualitative research? 18 Qualitative data collection 19 Transcribing language data: The Jefferson system 20 Thematic analysis 21 Grounded theory 22 Discourse analysis 23 Conversation analysis 24 Interpretative phenomenological analysis 25 Evaluating and writing up qualitative research Part 5 Research for projects, dissertations and theses 26 Developing ideas for research Glossary References Index

Qualitative Research: A Grounded Theory Example and Evaluation Criteria

Abstract: The qualitative research paradigm, although occasionally applied, is not widely discussed in agribusiness and agricultural economics literature. The primary goals of this paper are (a) to present insights into qualitative research approaches and processes by outlining grounded theory as an example of a systematic and rigorous qualitative approach, and (b) to discuss criteria for scientific rigor applicable to qualitative research. In addition, assessing qualitative research is demonstrated by using a published example.

Logistics Innovation: A customer Value-Oriented Social Process

Abstract: This paper reports on a qualitative, grounded theory research project conducted in the United States, Sweden, and The United Kingdom designed to explore logistics innovation as perceived by leaders of logistics service provider firms and logistics business functions within product focused firms Analysis of 33 depth interviews conducted within seven organizations revealed activities that reflect multiple aspects of being innovative, including: (1) setting a stage for innovation; (2) identifying clues to shifts in what customers value; (3) negotiating, clarifying, and reflecting upon insights; and (4) managing inter-organizational learning

Comparing qualitative research methodologies for systemic research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative analysis

Abstract: Many of the qualitative research methods developed in the social sciences are well suited to explore research questions pertinent for the systemic field, and make a good fit with systemic thinking. In this paper I briefly outline the value of qualitative research for systemic psychotherapies. I explore some parallel developments in the field of qualitative research and systemic therapy which can inform each other. Three qualitative methodologies, a grounded theory approach, discourse analysis and narrative analysis, particularly useful for the research of subjective experience and meaning, are briefly outlined. To compare and contrast these methodologies, I discuss their application to a pilot study concerning the experiences of living life in more than one language. I demonstrate how each research methodology can highlight different aspects of qualitative research material and address different research questions. The challenge of how these methodologies may be further developed for systemic research is posed.

Enhancing rigor in qualitative description: a case study.

Abstract: Qualitative description has generally been viewed as the "poor cousin" to more developed qualitative methods, such as grounded theory. As such, little has been written about rigor in qualitative description, and researchers lack a navigational map to guide them and facilitate decision making. The novice, in particular, can be faced with numerous challenges and uncertainties. Using an incontinence project as a case study, the authors describe the issues that arose within a qualitative descriptive study and approaches used to maintain rigor. The overall credibility of the study depended on the researcher's ability to capture an insider (emic) perspective and to represent that perspective accurately. Strategies to enhance rigor included flexible yet systematic sampling, ensuring participants had the freedom to speak, ensuring accurate transcription and data-driven coding, and on-going attention to context.

Bridging the divide between families and health professionals' perspectives on family-centred care.

Abstract: Objectives To describe and discuss key findings from a recent research project that challenge an increasingly prevalent theme, apparent in both family-centred care research and practice, of conceptualizing family-centred care as shifting care, care management, and advocacy responsibilities to families. The purpose of the research, from which these findings emerged, was to develop a conceptualization of family-centred care grounded in the experiences of families and direct health-care providers. Design Qualitative research methods, following the grounded theory tradition, were used to develop a conceptual framework that described the dimensions of the concept of family-centred care and their interrelationships, in the substantive area of children's developmental services. This article reports on and extends key findings from this grounded theory study, in light of current trends in the literature. Setting and participants The substantive area that served as the setting for the research was developmental services at a children's hospital in Alberta, Canada. Data was collected through focus groups and individual interviews with 37 parents of children diagnosed with a developmental problem and 16 frontline health-care providers. Findings Key findings from this research project do not support the current emphasis in family-centred care research and practice on conceptualizing family-centred care as the shifting of care, care management, and advocacy responsibilities to families. Rather, what emerged was that parents want to work truly collaboratively with health-care providers in making treatment decisions and on implementing a dynamic care plan that will work best for child and family. Discussion and conclusions A definition of collaboration is provided, and the nature of collaborative relationships described. Contributing factors to the difficulty in establishing true collaborative relationships between families and health-care professionals, where the respective roles to be played by health-care professionals and families are jointly determined, are discussed. In light of these findings we strongly advocate for the re-examination of current family-centred care policy and practice.

Women's career development phases: Idealism, endurance, and reinvention

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to explore the nature of women's career experiences over the life course by examining career patterns, career locus, career contexts, and career beliefs.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative, inductive approach to data gathering and analysis was employed, using life story surveys, semi‐structured interviewing, thematic analysis, grounded theory, code development and descriptive statistics.Findings – The data revealed distinct patterns of how women's careers develop over time, particularly with regard to the impact of career contexts (societal, organizational, and relational) and women's own changing images of their careers and career success. A three‐phase, age‐linked model of women's career development is proposed: the idealistic achievement phase; the pragmatic endurance phase; and the reinventive contribution phase.Research limitations/implications – Future studies should test replicability of these findings to determine whether this three‐phase model is embedded in the ...

Conditions for successful reflective use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education.

Abstract: AIM: Portfolios are often used as an instrument with which to stimulate students to reflect on their experiences. Research has shown that working with portfolios does not automatically stimulate reflection. In this study we addressed the question: What are the conditions for successful reflective use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education? METHODOLOGY/RESEARCH DESIGN: We designed a portfolio that was aimed at stimulating reflection in early undergraduate medical education, using experiences described in the medical education literature and elsewhere. Conditions for reflective portfolio use were identified through interviews with 13 teachers (mentors), who were experienced in mentoring students in the process of developing their portfolios. The interviews were analysed according to the principles of grounded theory. RESULTS: The conditions for successful reflective use of portfolios that emerged from the interviews fell into 4 categories: coaching; portfolio structure and guidelines; relevant experiences and materials, and summative assessment. According to the mentors, working with a portfolio designed to meet these conditions will stimulate students' reflective abilities. CONCLUSION: This study shows that portfolios are a potentially valuable method of assessing and developing students' reflective skills in undergraduate medical training, provided certain conditions for effective portfolios are recognised and met. Portfolios have a strong potential for enhancing learning and assessment but they are very vulnerable and may easily lead to disappointment. Before implementing portfolios in education, one should first consider whether the necessary conditions can be fulfilled, including an appropriate portfolio structure, an appropriate assessment procedure, the provision of enough new experiences and materials, and sufficient teacher capacity for adequate coaching and assessment. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2005.

Changing Schools, Changing Counselors: A Qualitative Study of School Administrators' Conceptions of the School Counselor Role.

Abstract: This qualitative study utilized a grounded theory methodology to assess the conceptions about the school counselor role held by 26 administrators employed in public elementary, middle, or high schools. The study was designed to build a deeper understanding of how school administrators conceptualized the school counselor role. Four distinctive role sets were found. They were differentiated in terms of primary work activities valued, extent of counselor-staff work role coordination, and type of specialized knowledge required. Findings suggest that there is a need for a more conscious development of counselor leadership skills and role expectations by counselors themselves and by counselor preparation programs.

Making sense of it all: consumer providers' theories about factors facilitating and impeding recovery from psychiatric disabilities.

Abstract: This qualitative study examined the accounts of fifteen adults regarding how they recovered from serious psychiatric disability. Interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach within a framework of Symbolic Interactionism. Recovery was identified as a dynamic process of personal growth and transformation. Barriers to recovery included paternalistic and coercive treatment systems, indifferent professionals, side effects from medication, and psychiatric symptoms. The existence of supportive relationships, meaningful activities and effective traditional and alternative treatments were identified as influential in facilitating recovery. The consumer providers who participated in this study provided important findings and fresh understanding about the recovery process.

Adapt or adopt: developing and transgressing the methodological boundaries of grounded theory.

Abstract: Aims. While acknowledging that there is an existing debate regarding the nature of grounded theory, the aim of this paper is to highlight a number of common and key areas/issues where adaptation/adoption of Glaserian grounded theory in nursing-related studies often occurs. These issues are: the differences between conceptual description and conceptual theory; beginning the study with a ‘general wonderment’ or a more defined research question; establishing the credibility of the theory; identifying a basic psycho-social process and emerging vs. forcing. Background. Since the development and introduction of grounded theory in 1967, the number of studies, in a wide range of disciplines including nursing, that purport to be using a grounded theory method has grown enormously. While Glaser and Strauss acknowledged then that it was entirely appropriate for the methodology to evolve and develop, some of the studies that claim to be based on grounded theory methodology share little methodological similarity, and at times, bear only a passing resemblance to Glaserian grounded theory. Discussion. Some methodological transgressions in papers that purport to be grounded theory studies are such that it would be inaccurate to term the resulting method grounded theory at all. Instead such studies are more accurately thought of as a form of qualitative data analysis. Such transgressions include a study that has no evidence of conceptualization; one that does not identify a basic psycho-social process; and one that moves from ‘emerging’ to ‘forcing’. Other methodological adaptations of grounded theory, such as beginning the study with more than a general wonderment and broadening the approach to establishing the credibility of the theory, are more in keeping with Glaser and Strauss’ position on the evolution of the method. In such cases, it is necessary to distinguish such methods from ‘pure’ Glaserian grounded theory, and it would be prudent and methodologically accurate to describe the resulting method as ‘modified’ grounded theory.

Quality-of-Life Concerns of African American Breast Cancer Survivors Within Rural North Carolina: Blending the Techniques of Photovoice and Grounded Theory

Abstract: Social norms imposing a prevailing silence around breast cancer in rural African American communities have made it difficult for survivors to express their quality-of-life (QOL) concerns. In this article, the authors describe how they blended the photovoice method (providing participants with cameras so they can record, discuss, and relate the realities of their lives) with grounded theory techniques to assist 13 African American breast cancer survivors from rural eastern North Carolina in (a) exploring how they perceive and address their QOL within their own social context and (b) developing a conceptual framework of survivorship QOL. The framework that emerged reveals that three social forces (racism, stigmas regarding cancer, and cultural expectations of African American women) drive four QOL concerns (seeking safe sources of support, adjusting to the role of cancer survivor, feeling comfortable about the future, and serving as role models) and that survivors address these concerns by relying on spirit...

Towards an Ontological Language for Game Analysis

Abstract: The Game Ontology Project (GOP) is creating a framework for describing, analyzing and studying games, by defining a hierarchy of concepts abstracted from an analysis of many specific games. GOP borrows concepts and methods from prototype theory as well as grounded theory to achieve a framework that is always growing and changing as ne w games are analyzed or particular research questions are explored. The top level of the ontolo gy (interface, rules, goals, entities, and entity manipulation) is described as well as a part icular ontological entry. Finally, by engaging in three short discussions centered on relevant games studies research questions, the ontology’s utility is demonstrated.

Participant Diaries as a Source of Data in Research With Older Adults

Abstract: Solicited participant diaries are an excellent source of data that has not been given sufficient attention as a data collection strategy for qualitative research. In a recent grounded theory study designed to explore strategies used by older adults to manage their chronic health problems, solicited diaries, when combined with an initial and follow-up interview, provided a rich source of data about day-to-day activities of participants. There were three options for maintaining the diary: written, audiotaped, or telephone conversation. The solicited diaries were guided by a set of open-ended questions designed to encourage participants to focus on daily activities and reflect on their values. The authors provide examples of data from participant diaries and suggestions for incorporating solicited participant diaries into data collection strategies for qualitative research.

How to recognise a 'quality' grounded theory research study.

Abstract: Background: The quality of a research study is a key issue for clinical practitioners committed to the delivery of 'best practice' patient care. With the increasing use of grounded theory in nursing research, attention is now focusing on the quality of studies using this research methodology. Indeed, within the growing body of grounded theory in nursing some methodological problems are emerging that raise questions about the quality of the research. Aim: This paper recognises that clinical practitioners need to be critical readers of grounded theory research, so that they recognise 'quality' research studies and can develop their clinical practice based on sound research findings. Conclusion: Grounded theory should be viewed as a package of research methods that includes the use of concurrent data collection and constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and memoing, all of which can create an awareness and an appreciation of the scientific merit required of grounded theory research and promote quality standards relating to research practices in grounded theory methodology. (author abstract)

Qualitative methodology for rehabilitation research.

Abstract: Qualitative research methodology focuses on individuals' lived experiences as they are presented in thoughts, ideas, feelings, attitudes and perceptions. In addition, the research approach emphasizes human behaviour and social interaction. It explores the quality of a phenomenon, not the quantity. This article outlines the major characteristics of qualitative research methodology and gives applications and examples. The aim of qualitative methodology is to develop new knowledge based on participants' own beliefs and experiences, not on pre-defined, testable hypotheses. It is inductive rather than deductive, and it is interpretative rather than predictive. The design is flexible, iterative and emergent and therefore requires of the researcher an ability to change and adapt the research process in accordance with emerging results. Qualitative research is thus different from quantitative research as it allows for flexibility throughout the research process. Several data collection methods can be used, such as individual interviews, focus group discussions or participant observations, in order to gain a deeper understanding of health, illness and rehabilitation. It can be used in combination with quantitative studies, but also as a research method of its own. In health research, the qualitative methodology has gained increasing credibility during the last decade. However, it is not yet frequently used in rehabilitation research. As rehabilitation outcomes are dependent on people's attitudes, thoughts and motivation regarding the rehabilitation process, and as the rehabilitation process in itself builds on social interaction, studies with a qualitative design could become useful tools in the development and improvement of rehabilitation.

Qualitative research and family psychology.

Abstract: Qualitative approaches have much to offer family psychology. Among the uses for qualitative methods are theory building, model and hypothesis testing, descriptions of lived experiences, typologies, items for surveys and measurement tools, and case examples that answer questions that surveys cannot. Despite the usefulness of these products, issues related to generalizability, subjectivity, and language, among others, block some researchers from appreciating the contributions that qualitative methods can make. This article provides descriptions of procedures that lead to these useful products and discusses alternative ways of understanding aspects of qualitative approaches that some researchers view as problematic.

Women's experiences of workplace bullying: changes in social relationships

Abstract: This article reports a qualitative study, which investigated social processes in workplace bullying, based on in-depth interviews with ten British women professionals who were targets of workplace bullying. Data were analysed using grounded theory methods. The resulting analysis showed links between disclosures of bullying, reactions of others, and some impacts on targets' psychological health. Key themes which emerged from the data included ‘being heard’ which describes how others reacted to disclosures of bullying behaviours, and the ‘ripple effect’ which describes how bullying impacted upon targets' significant others; these predominantly describe relationships with others outside the workplace. The theme of ‘withdrawal’ describes how targets and others managed relationships within the workplace, and ‘denial’ and ‘personalizing problems’ describe how others within the workplace responded to knowledge of bullying behaviours. The theme ‘maintaining self’ describes how participants responded to changed relationships and struggled to maintain a coherent sense of self during and subsequent to bullying. This research emphasizes the role of social processes and social environments, rather than individual or personality characteristics, in explaining the development of workplace bullying and its impacts on targets. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Processes of disengagement and engagement in assertive outreach patients: qualitative study.

Abstract: Background Assertive outreach has been established to care for‘difficult to engage’ patients, yet little is known about how patients experience their disengagement with mainstream services and later engagement with outreach teams. Aims To explore the views of disengagement and engagement held by patients of assertive outreach teams. Method In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 purposefully selected patients and analysed using components of both thematic analysis and grounded theory. Results Patients reported a desire to be independent, a poor therapeutic relationship and a loss of control due to medication effects as most important for disengagement. Time and commitment of staff, social support and engagement without a focus on medication, and a partnership model of the therapeutic relationship were most relevant for engagement. Conclusions The findings underline the importance of a comprehensive care model, committed staff with sufficient time, and a focus on relationship issues in dealing with ‘difficult to engage’ patients.