Meeting Monday April 11th 2016 12:00-1:30 pm

Agenda Welcome and Update Linda Knox, Head, Department of Midwifery, BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, and Providence Health Care Agenda Welcome and Update

Agenda

Using qualitative approaches to research midwifery questions Michelle Butler, Professor, Director, UBC Midwifery Using qualitative approaches to research midwifery questions

Qualitative research aims to capture: The issue, concern, experience etc. from the inside-out (the emic perspective) The unique (idiographic) meanings of each individual The value-laden nature of facts The interactive nature of inquiry (Denzin and Lincoln 1994)

The interpretive paradigm … The central research interest is human meaning in social life, its elucidation and exposition by the researcher (Erickson, 1986) Aims to ‘give privilege to the perspectives of research participants’ (Fossey et al. 2002) Emphasis on discovery & thick description Accepts multiple realities The researcher is the instrument

Methods Participant observation Interviews Narratives Documents Focus groups

The ethnographic approach An ethnography focuses on an entire cultural group The researcher describes and interprets the ‘shared and learned patterns of values, behaviours, beliefs, and language of a culture-sharing group’ In order to do this, the ethnographer has to become part of the setting Must become immersed in the day-to-day lives and learn the language in use The ‘emic’ perspective (Creswell 2007 p68)

Methods Participant-observer Wide range of methods as required to understand the views of participants such as: interviewing, archive/documentary analysis, analysis of non-written records, quantitative data.

Phenomenology Aims to illuminate human phenomena by objectively and critically analysing individuals’ accounts of their lived experiences of those phenomena. Concerned to get beneath and beyond everyday and abstract accounts. Raises profound questions and seeks a deeper understanding of phenomena through a careful analysis of their meanings for individuals who have experienced them.

Grounded Theory A method of discovery - to discover new dimensions of the social processes ‘at play in people’s lives’ Purpose is to generate comprehensive explanations (theories) of phenomena that are grounded in reality (grounded theory) An approach to study of social processes and social structures Research conducted in naturalistic settings

Defining components of GT Simultaneous data collection and analysis Constructing analytic codes and categories from data Constant comparison method of analysis Advancing theory development during each step of data collection and analysis Memo-writing to elaborate categories, specify their properties, define relationships and identify gaps Sampling aimed at theory construction – not representativeness Conducting the literature review after analysis (Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Charmaz 2006)

Insight and discovery

Beck, C. T. (2006). The anniversary of birth trauma: failure to rescue Beck, C. T. (2006). The anniversary of birth trauma: failure to rescue. Nursing Research, 55(6), 381–390.

(Thompson and Downe, 2010)

When to use qualitative research? To explore a problem To provide a complex detailed understanding of an issue To empower individuals to share their stories, hear their voices, or minimise power relationships To write in a literary, flexible style that conveys stories, or theatre, or poems, without the restrictions of formal academic structures To understand the context or settings in which participants address an issue or a problem To develop theories when partial or inadequate theories exist, or existing theories do not adequately address the complexity of a problem To study problems that do not fit quantitative measures and statistical analyses (Creswell, 2007)

Theoretical and practical considerations The credibility of findings amongst potential funders of the research and preferences for different approaches Access to participants The skills of the researcher and access to expertise Time constraints, choices will have to be made about the amount of data and the complexity of the data to be collected, and the time required to develop and use particular techniques Resources available

Further Reading Lavender, T., Edwards, G., & Alfirevic, Z. (2004) Demystifying qualitative research in pregnancy and childbirth. (2004). Wiltshire: Quay Books, MA Healthcare Ltd Baker, L. (2006). Ten common pitfalls to avoid when conducting qualitative research. British Journal of Midwifery, 14(9), 530–531. http://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2006.14.9.21794

References Creswell (2007) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. (1994), Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Erickson, F. (1986). Qualitative methods in research on teaching. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching, 3rd edition: A project of The American Educational Research Association. New York: Macmillan. Charmaz, K (2006) Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide through Qualitative Analysis. Los Angeles: Sage Fossey E, Harvey C, McDermott F and Davidson L. (2002) Understanding and evaluating qualitative research. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36: 717-732 Gaser, B and Strauss, A (1967) The discovery of grounded theory : strategies for qualitative research. New York: Aldine de Greuyter

Issues in the press

http://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/empowered-health-video-should-you-use-a-midwife

Linda Knox Closing Comments