Developing mixed methods research in sport and exercise psychology: Critical reflections on five points of controversy

Abstract

Objectives: To stimulate debate in sport and exercise psychology about the nature of mixed methods research as currently practiced and how this approach might develop in the future.Design: An exploration of five points of controversy relating to mixed methods research. Results:The examples provided of mixed methods research in action indicate that a number of problematic issues regarding both process and product have been neglected. Conclusions.Mixed methods research offers a number of conceptual, practical and pedagogical challenges that need to be addressed if this form of inquiry is to develop its full potential in sport and exercise psychology.Keywords: mixed methods, paradigms, integration, criteria, power.Developing mixed methods research 3 Developing Mixed Methods Research in Sport and Exercise Psychology: Critical Reflections on Five Points of ControversyIn a decade review (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009) of qualitative research in three leading sport psychology journals, that included Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Culver, Gilbert and Sparkes (2012) found that a total of 57 articles used mixed methods, which accounted for 31.1% of the articles classified as qualitative in their selected sample. Of these 57 mixed methods articles, '25 employed open-ended questions within a survey or test; 23 used tests and interviews; and 10 used systematic observation in conjunction with interviews ' (p. 265).This suggests a growing acceptance of mixed methods research (MMR) in the field.Moran, Matthews and Kirby (2011) propose that MMR 'has much to offer sport and exercise psychology researchers who believe that quantitative and qualitative methods may be combined effectively ' (p. 367). The benefits proposed for undertaking a mixed methods study according to Doyle, Brady and Byrne (2009) The views of Mason (2006) suggest that researchers in sport and exercise psychology are well advised to approach MMR with caution. Rich and critical debates within the social sciences about MMR show it is best viewed as a contested and ambiguous concept (Gill, 2011;Johnson, Onwuegbuzie & Turner, 2007;Whaley & Krane, 2011). Cresswell (2011), a leading advocate of MMR, highlights an extensive range of controversies in an emerging field that include the following: basic issues of the legitimacy and meaning, philosophical underpinnings, and the pragmatics of conducting a mixed methods study. These controversies, he argues, need to be squarely placed on the table for discussion and their presence honoured. In this article, therefore, I offer some critical reflections on five points of controversy with the aim of stimulating dialogue within the sport and exercise psychology Developing mixed methods research 5 community about what MMR is, how it is currently practiced, how it might be developed in the future, and the pedagogical challenges that flow from all of this.,Gaining an understanding of MMR as an emerging field is difficult. The term 'mixed methods' has multiple meanings depending on the st...

Exploring Traumas in the Development of Talent: What Are They, What Do They Do, and What Do They Require?

“…Giacobbi et al, 2005;Sparkes, 2015). Against this view -EXPLORING TRAUMAS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TALENT 8 and following Sarkar et al's (2014) recommendation for continued research on trauma -we considered that the aims of our study would be best addressed by a multiple methods design.…”

“…To clarify, both quantitative and qualitative methods were linked to the same main purpose (i.e., to shed light on trauma during development) but complete in themselves (Morse, 2003); an approach that is distinct to mixed methods research, which requires quantitative and qualitative methods to be fully integrated throughout the methodology (Sparkes, 2015).…”

Professional Development in Sport Psychology: Relating Learning Experiences to Learning Outcomes

“…This research aim is grounded in pragmatism, an epistemology that is concerned with functionality, with what works (e.g., Driscoll, 2005;Giacobbi, Poczwardowski, & Hager, 2005;Sparkes, 2015). Pragmatism transpires on two levels in the current study.…”

Participants’ physical activity levels and evaluations of a school sport programme in Papua New Guinea

“…Mixed method approaches have been accused of being incompatible because of paradigmatic clashes making true integration and appropriate presentation of findings difficult and overly time consuming, requiring specific skills and expertise (Sparkes and Smith, 2014;Tariq and Woodman, 2013). We adopt the view offered by Sparkes (2015) that there is potentially no debate to have. The accompanying argument is that at the paradigmatic level, the justification for any given approach is not bound by 'detailed, rigid boundaries for the practical application of use of techniques ' (p.50).…”