Sampling is one of the most difficult and contentious aspects of qualitative research design. There are few guidelines for sampling decisions or for understanding saturation in qualitative family research. The authors frame the problematic of data quality in the selection of units of analysis and observation and consider how to enhance sample richness. They outline considerations for data quantity and sample size as well as case‐ and variable‐based approaches. With multiple examples from recent and classic studies to illustrate the consequences of sampling decisions, they explore links between saturation and validity. Finally, they encourage researchers to craft a coherent statement on qualitative integrity to demonstrate how their sampling decisions are rooted in epistemology, theory, and richness and quality of data.
This qualitative study explores older parents' ambivalent perceptions of their relationships with their adult children. Interviews with 17 mothers and fathers (aged 671) provided reports on 75 relationships (43 sons, 32 daughters). Two predominant sources of ambivalence emerged when parents discussed their current relationships. The first identified source of ambivalence relates to children being busy, so that parents were dissatisfied with the frequency and quality of time spent together. Help exchanges are also discussed in light of children's busyness. The second identified source of ambivalence explores parents' ambivalent perceptions about their children's romantic partners and parenting styles. Results are integrated into the developing theory of intergenerational ambivalence and practice implications for family communication are discussed.
This research examines gender differences in personal characteristics, work experiences, work attitudes, and professional commitment for a group of young (age < 45) dentists. While males and females had similar work attitudes, they differed in work experience -males worked more hours, saw more patients, and earned higher incomes. Males had higher scores on affective and behavioral professional commitment measures than did females, but the gender difference was significant only for behavioral commitment. For both females and males, affective professional commitment was related positively to job satisfaction, office cohesion, having young children, and negatively related to stress. The relationship between owning the practice and affective professional commitment was greater for men than women, whereas the relationship between the proportion of office staff who are close friends and affective professional commitment was greater for women than men. For males, behavioral commitment was related positively to being married, being a specialist, working more hours, having higher income and belonging to the professional association. For females, behavioral commitment was related positively to job involvement, office cohesion, and the number of days worked each week. Results suggest that affiliation is related more closely to professional commitment among females, while practice control and productivity are related more closely to professional commitment among males.
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