A critical realist approach to thematic analysis: producing causal explanations

Fryer, T. Bruce

doi:10.1080/14767430.2022.2076776

Cited by 45 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In other words, the critical realist approach combines realist ontology with constructivist epistemology [ 52 ]. After assuming this position, we can make ontological distinctions between our unique experiences and observations of events, the actual events themselves (which can be different from our experience of them), and the underlying mechanisms or structures that produce events [ 53 ]. Once we perceive reality in this way, we are open to exploring and explaining social events through reference to these mechanisms and structures and their effects.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design Preferences for a Serious Game–Based Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults in Prison: Thematic Analysis

Mantell¹,

Withall²,

Radford³

et al. 2023

JMIR Serious Games

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Serious games have the potential to transform the field of cognitive assessment. The use of serious game–based cognitive assessments in prison environments is particularly exciting. This is because interventions are urgently needed to address the rapid increase in the number of currently incarcerated older adults globally and because of the heightened risks of dementia and cognitive decline present in this population. Game-based assessments are assumed to be fun, engaging, and suitable alternatives to traditional cognitive testing, but these assumptions remain mostly untested in older adults. This is especially true for older adults in prison, whose preferences and needs are seldom heard and may deviate from those previously captured in studies on cognition and serious games. Objective This study aimed to understand the design preferences of older adults in prison for a game-based cognitive assessment. Methods This study used reflexive thematic analysis, underpinned by critical realism, and applied the technique of abduction. Overall, 4 focus groups with a total of 20 participants were conducted with older adults (aged ≥50 years; aged ≥45 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) across 3 distinct prison environments in Australia. Results Self-determination theory was used as a theoretical foundation to interpret the results. Overall, 3 themes were generated: Goldilocks—getting gameplay difficulty just right through optimal challenge (the first theme emphasizes the participants’ collective desire for an individualized optimal level of difficulty in serious gameplay), Avoiding Childish Graphics—gimmicky gameplay can be condescending (the second theme raises the importance of avoiding immature and childlike gameplay features, as some older end users in prison felt that these can be condescending), and A Balanced Diet—meaningful choice and variety keeps game-based assessments fun (the third theme highlights the strong user preference for meaningful choice and variety in any serious game–based cognitive assessment to maximize in-game autonomy). Conclusions The collection of these themes provides novel insights into key game design preferences of marginalized older adults.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design Preferences for a Serious Game–Based Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults in Prison: Thematic Analysis

Mantell¹,

Withall²,

Radford³

et al. 2023

JMIR Serious Games

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This study aimed to provide an exploratory (i.e., seeking to describe a phenomena) and an explanatory (i.e., seeking to explain the causes of phenomena) approach to research [ 41 ]. As such in analysing the data, Fryers’ [ 42 ] five-step critical realist approach to TA was aligned with Wiltshire and Ronkainen [ 43 ] three types of themes (experiential, inferential and dispositional), represented in Fig 1 . This approach required data-driven coding, deductive thinking and inductive thinking (which are currently used in other approaches to TA [ 44 ]) as well as abductive and retroductive thinking (which are advocated in realist methodology, e.g., [ 45 , 46 ]).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the second stage, the primary author immersed herself in the data, by listening to the audio recordings, undertaking verbatim transcription, reading and re-reading the data to familiarise themselves with the findings and making notes on the initial thoughts and questions. Following familiarization, stage three consisted of applying, developing and reviewing codes (step 3; [ 42 ]) to create experiential themes [ 43 ]. Experiential themes describe participants’ subjective viewpoints and experiences as they are evident in the data [ 43 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following the development of codes, step 4 entailed developing themes (step 4; [ 42 ]) to create dispositional themes [ 43 ]. Dispositional themes entail thinking about the mechanisms that have real causal influence on the world [ 43 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The primary researcher interpreted the data to provide more causal explanations and narrative, outlining how particular features of “Salkeld High” produce the experiences and events evident in the data and codes (e.g., holistic impacts). Finally, within stage five [ 42 ], we developed a conceptual thematic map of “Salkeld High” ( Fig 2 ). The diagrams provide a conceptual visualisation, that combines the dispositional themes (e.g., integrated sport school environment and community), with the experiences (experimental themes) of the participants in the research (e.g., immediate, intermediate, and long-term, positive and negative holistic impacts).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A case study of the features and holistic athlete impacts of a UK sports-friendly school: Student-athlete, coach and teacher perspectives

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In order to understand the features of sport schools and their impacts on the holistic development of student-athletes, it is important to take into account the voice of multiple stakeholders central to the programmes (student-athletes, coaches, teachers). Through a case-study approach, using five focus groups, with 19 student-athletes, and six semi-structured interviews with three coaches and three dual coach and teachers, this study explored the perceived impacts of one sport-friendly school (pseudonym–“Salkeld High”) on holistic athlete development and the features that drove these impacts. Using a critical realist approach to thematic analysis, findings indicated a multitude of immediate, intermediate and long-term positive and negative impacts associated with academic/vocational (e.g., academic security vs. second/third choice university), athletic/physical (e.g., performance development vs. injuries), psychosocial (e.g., social skills vs. social scarifies) and psychological (e.g., sport confidence vs. performance pressure) development of “Salkeld High” student-athletes. Overall, “Salkeld High” was viewed as an integrated school environment for sport, academics, and boarding, where academic (e.g., extra-tutoring), athletic (e.g., high volume/frequency of training), and psychosocial/psychological (e.g., pastoral services) features are all in one location. The student-athletes tended to get a well-rounded, balanced holistic experience. However, the intensified and challenging nature of involvement did present some negative impacts that stakeholders should be aware of when designing, implementing, and evaluating sport-friendly school programmes. Furthermore, although “Salkeld High” was seen as an integrated environment within the school, it could do better at collaborating with wider sporting structures.

show abstract

Health citizenship reveals ‘extra’ work managing biopolitical risk for immigrants in Canada during COVID‐19: A qualitative study

Leung,

Guruge,

Wang

et al. 2024

Community & Applied Soc Psy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One's health security (i.e., the ability to minimize risks and respond to public health threats) is a conferred right of citizenship but individuals construct identities during the process of securing their health. However, how this occurs, in relationship to the state, remains largely implicit or taken‐for‐granted. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19)' provided a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between oneself and governing social norms of health citizenship. We drew on secondary analysis of data from a previous (published) qualitative descriptive study that was conducted during May to September 2020 of COVID‐19, to explore 72 immigrants' experience (from 21 countries) of health security in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews and analysed using critical realism. The majority of participants were women. We demonstrate how individuals implicitly engaged in ‘extra’ work—gendered and driven by mechanisms of good citizenship—connected to the will to health, against ethopolitical work to regulate risks, of and for themselves, in public discourse. Public discourse tended to follow racialized hegemonic norms, which also reproduced systemic cultural racism. We argue that empathetic understanding of this process is conducive to enhancing one's resistance to stereotypes, and to bolstering immigrants' resilience to seeking health security during public health emergencies.

show abstract

A critical realist approach to thematic analysis: producing causal explanations

Cited by 45 publications

References 17 publications

Design Preferences for a Serious Game–Based Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults in Prison: Thematic Analysis

Design Preferences for a Serious Game–Based Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults in Prison: Thematic Analysis

A case study of the features and holistic athlete impacts of a UK sports-friendly school: Student-athlete, coach and teacher perspectives

Health citizenship reveals ‘extra’ work managing biopolitical risk for immigrants in Canada during COVID‐19: A qualitative study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About