Maintaining reflexivity in qualitative nursing research

Abstract

Reflexivity is the process of reflecting critically on oneself as a researcher (Bradbury-Jones, 2007) and is central to the construction of knowledge in qualitative research (Narayanasamy, 2015).It requires the process of knowledge construction to be the subject of investigation (Flick, 2013). Reflexivity assists researchers to consider their "continuing engagement with participants and revelations of the self as the researcher enters the various stages of the research process" (Narayanasamy, 2015, p. 238). It acknowledges the partnership between the participants and researcher (Narayanasamy, 2015), the impact that the participants and the researcher have on each other (Darawsheh, 2014) and the need to understand what the effects were and how they impacted on the data (Patton, 2015). During reflexivity, the research process and end product are examined relative to the researchers' praxis, role and social position (Flick, 2013).Reflexivity is also a process that can be transformative for the researcher, developing personal self-awareness and enlightenment (Narayanasamy, 2015). This process can be challenging, as the researcher has to act ethically and employ skilful and illuminative insight through a process of "critical self-reflection on one's biases, theoretical predispositions, preferences" (Engward & Davis, 2015).However, despite the importance of reflexivity, it is suggested that reflexive accounts in nursing research are "under-addressed" (Narayanasamy, 2015).Reflexivity can be viewed as a criterion, a tool or a strategy of rigour in qualitative studies (Darawsheh, 2014). When viewed as a criterion, reflexivity is a marker of quality and is used to increase the confidence, congruence and credibility of findings

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