A specific method for qualitative medical research: the IPSE (Inductive Process to analyze the Structure of lived Experience) approach

Abstract

Background This paper reports the construction and use of a specific method for qualitative medical research: The Inductive Process to Analyze the Structure of lived Experience (IPSE), an inductive and phenomenological approach designed to gain the closest access possible to the patients’ experience and to produce concrete recommendations for improving care. This paper describes this innovative method. Methods IPSE has five steps: 1) set up a research group, 2) ensure the originality of the research, 3) organize recruitment and sampling intended to optimize exemplarity, 4) collect data that enable entry into the subjects’ experience, and 5) analyze the data. This final stage is composed of one individual descriptive phase, followed by two group phases: i) structure the experience, and ii) translate the findings into concrete proposals that make a difference in care. Results This innovative method has provided original findings that have opened up new avenues of research and have important practical implications, including (1) the development of patient-reported outcomes, (2) clinical recommendations concerning assessment and treatment, (3) innovative ways to improve communication between patients and doctors, and (4) new insights for medical pedagogy. Conclusions IPSE is a qualitative method specifically developed for clinical medical research to reach concrete proposals, easily combined with quantitative research within a mixed-method study design and then directly integrated within evidence-based medicine.

Clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study among child and adolescent psychiatrists across the world

“…This exploratory international qualitative study used the inductive process to analyze the structure of lived experience (IPSE) approach [ 27 ], a qualitative method specifically developed for conducting clinical medical research that offers concrete proposals (for example, by identifying clinical implications that could improve the quality of care or new research perspectives, or by developing scales that can be used in both clinical and research settings). This approach relies on an inductive process that explores in depth the lived experience of participants and the analysis of the structure of lived experience —an expression embedded in the descriptive phenomenological approach and referring to a structure composed by central axes of experience that describe and organize participants’ experiences.…”

A qualitative exploration of what works for migrant adolescents in transcultural psychotherapy: perceptions of adolescents, their parents, and their therapists

“…Three families were chosen by purposive sampling [ 36 , 39 ]; in this case, that means that we selected them because transcultural therapists considered the sessions beneficial for them. They were thus likely to provide the most information about the therapeutic elements at work in transcultural psychotherapy.…”

“…Nonetheless, no study has examined simultaneously the points of view of both patients and therapists about these therapeutic elements, although their experience is central in treatment [ 31 , 32 ] and in research [ 33 ]. Qualitative methods are especially appropriate when the objective is to explore the point of view or experience of participants about health care or about the elements of the therapy that work, that are perceived as effective [ 34 – 36 ]. They have previously been used to explore the elements or processes of change [ 37 ], but no study has combined the points of view of patients and therapists to analyze the elements of change at work in psychotherapy involving migrants.…”

Homeopathy Assessment—Contribution of the Human Sciences

“…Only then will another group intervene with an analysis of the existing literature on the topic; it is important not to do this part beforehand, so as not to influence the research with already known conclusions. 9 In homeopathic provings the investigators follow a similar process. The data from the reports are classified by chapters, like those traditionally used in homeopathic Materia Medica 10 (head, eyes, nose, throat... sleep, dreams, mental, generalities).…”

“…But there is another, very promising, new concept that has been suggested (among others) by the research group IPSE, 9 which proposes combining qualitative trials, using and adapting the methods of the humanities for health-related studies, with quantitative trials, using effectiveness criteria identified by the qualitative work to assess the reality of care, what it brings, and whether it is effective. This two-step approach reconciles the post-modern, holistic, aspects of homeopathic therapy with human sciences methods, and so the demanding rigor of EBM ought to be more easily accepted by all.…”