1. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
Dr Dario W Pellegrini
M5- Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

2. Aims To outline the theoretical bases of IPA
To describe the main differences between IPA and other qualitative methods of data analysis
To reflect on some of the critiques of IPA
To describe the steps in IPA data analysis
To watch a video clip describing IPA text analysis and discuss
To carry out a short IPA data analysis activity
To describe the expectations for an IPA study
To reflect on issues of trustworthiness and validity in IPA based research

3. Theoretical bases of IPA
Phenomenology
Hermeneutics
Idiography

4. Phenomenology Study of experience. Contributions to IPA are:
Reflection on experience/ bracketing: Husserl:
Dasein (there-being): Heidegger
Embodiment: Merleau-Ponty

5. Hermeneutics
Theory of interpretation of texts. Contributions to IPA are:
Fore-structures/ bracketing: Heidegger
Hermeneutics of empathy and hermeneutics of suspicion: Ricoeur
Larkin et al (2006); Smith (2004) and Smith et al (2009) : propose hermeneutics of meaning / recollection (descriptive and interpretative)

6. Idiography
Concern with the specific, the detail and the understanding of individual experience
No claims about whole populations but focus on individual experience and proposes theoretical generalisation

7. IPA and other qualitative methods of data analysis
IPA vs. Grounded Theory
IPA vs. Thematic Analysis
IPA vs. Discourse Analysis

8. Critiquing IPA
IPA and language: language as a tool/ role of language in constructing experience
Role of context in IPA
Role of cognition in IPA

9. Steps in IPA data analysis
Transcript is read and re-read
Initial notes are made in the transcript
Emergent themes are created from initial notes
Emergent themes are clustered into sub-ordinate themes
The same process is repeated for all individual transcripts
Sub-ordinate themes for all individual transcripts are clustered into super-ordinate themes
Super-ordinate themes are clustered into overarching concepts for the sample

10. IPA text analysis: Michael Larkin

11. Activity Dewey One of six participants Middle aged Man
EP for over 5 years
FT for over 2 years

13. Trustworthiness
QUAL-QUANT methodologies have different criteria to establish trustworthiness of research
Trustworthiness needs to come from ‘within’ rather than ‘without’ factors (Morse, Barrett, Mayan, Olson & Spiers, 2002)
Elliott, Fisher, Rennie (1999); Robson (2002; 2009); Yardley (2000; 2008) some strategies to ensure trustworthiness of Qualitative Research.
Yardley (2008) has developed a set of four criteria, relevant to Qualitative Research.

14. Yardley (2008) Sensitivity to context Commitment and rigour
Coherence and transparency
Impact and importance

15. Trustworthiness of IPA research
What makes a good IPA study? (Smith, 2011)
Clear focus rather than broad reconnaissance
Strong data obtained by a purposive sample typically small.
Gives measure of prevalence for a theme: evidence base should be drawn from a large proportion of participants, but beware ‘THEMOLATRY’ (Dario’s neologism: Theme – idolatry) (Chamberlain, 2011; Smith, 2011)
Sufficient elaboration of a theme
Interpretative commentary, not just descriptions (difference between papers and theses)
Show convergence and divergence between different participants, without losing the uniqueness of individual experience
Well written

16. Aims To outline the theoretical bases of IPA
To describe the main differences between IPA and other qualitative methods of data analysis
To reflect on some of the critiques of IPA
To describe the steps in IPA data analysis
To watch a video clip describing IPA text analysis and discuss
To carry out a short IPA data analysis activity
To describe the expectations for an IPA study
To reflect on issues of trustworthiness and validity in IPA based research

17. References
Burr, V. (2002). The person in social psychology. Hove: Psychology Press
Chamberlain, K. (2011). Troubling methodology. Health Psychology Review, 5 (1)
Elliott, R., Fischer, C.T. and Rennie, D.L. (1999) ‘Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields’, British Journal of Clinical Psychology 38:
Morse, J.M., Barrett, M., Mayan, M., Olson, K., & Spiers, J. (2002). Verification strategies for establishing reliability and validity in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1 (2), 13-22
Nightingale, D.J., and Cromby, J. (1999) (Eds.). Social constructionist psychology: A critical analysis of theory and practice. Buckingham: Open University Press
Robson, C. (2002). Real World Research (2nd Ed.). Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
Smith, J.A. (2004). Reflecting on the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis and its contribution to qualitative research in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1,
Willig, C. (2008). Introducing qualitative research in psychology (2nd Ed.). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press
Yardley, L. (2000) ‘Dilemmas in qualitative health research’, Psychology and Health 15:
Yardley, L. (2008). Demonstrating validity in qualitative psychology. In. J.A.Smith (ed.). Qualitative psychology. A practical guide to research methods. (2nd ed.). London: SAGE,