Pioneering the use of technologies in qualitative research – A research review of the use of digital interviews

Abstract

Covid-19 has changed the way research can be conducted. The present literature review, based on 29 studies (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019)(2020), investigates and compiles existing research to identify possibilities and limitations of using digital interviews within social work, sociology and adjacent disciplines. The results show that digital interviews can enhance long-distance participation, and that they may be cost-effective. However, technical difficulties can arise that adversely affect the quality of the interviews. Concerning sensitive topics (e.g., victimization, health issues, sexuality), more rich data can be reached with digital options than with in-person options, but it can be difficult to read visual cues, as the camera only captures the participants' upper body. Based on these results, it is important to strike a balance between the positive and negative aspects associated with digital interviews, and to understand that digital interviews are something different than in-person interviews, with their own logic and rules.

Considerations for conducting and reporting digitally supported cognitive interviews with children and adults

“…Procedural interruptions include environmental distractions, interviewee reluctance to speak freely due to the presence of family members, intrusions resulting from day-to-day activities in the home, and difficulties with phone or internet connectivity and audio/video quality. The interview guide, which may be electronic, or paper based, serves to prompt the interviewer to document the various forms of cognitive difficulties (e.g., clarity, comprehension, ease of response) that occur during the interview, along with relevant visual or auditory indicators of these difficulties (e.g., hesitation) [ 2 , 11 , 12 ]. The interview guide should also offer structured fields to record environmental conditions, participant engagement, technological aspects (e.g., type of device(s) utilized by the participant, use of video versus audio only), and any problems or difficulties encountered during the interview.…”

“…However, it can be challenging to sample geographically and socio-economically diverse individuals, children, and those with rare conditions or physical/functional limitations for qualitative research, including cognitive interviews [ 1 ]. Remote methods (which include telephone, web conferencing, and other social media and messaging platforms) offer a potential solution to enrolling these underrepresented populations [ 2 ]. Remote methods also allow for interviewer personnel and data management to be centralized within the study coordinating center.…”

On the way towards integration? From monologic to dialogic encounters in Swedish rural preschools

“…The use of focus groups was chosen because focus group interviews 'give participants an opportunity to narrate their personal experiences and to test their interpretations of events and processes with others, and whether confirmed or disputed, the result is a polyvocal production, a multiplicity of voices speaking from a variety of subject positions' (Goss and Leinbach 1996, 116). The first round of interviews was conducted in each of the three participating preschools, whereas the second round of interviews was conducted online owing to the situation caused by COVID-19 (Thunberg and Arnell 2021). The first focus group interview was an introductory interview that evolved into a genuine conversation about the participating preschool teachers' experiences of and reflections on working with migrant families.…”

Giving a Socially Distanced Voice to Disabled Young People: Insights from the Educational Pathways and Work Outcomes Qualitative Longitudinal Study

“…There is also a paucity of information surrounding the effectiveness of online communication platforms for interviewing these groups. This is an important methodological omission given that online interviews can potentially resolve issues of accessibility present in face-to-face interviewing of disabled people (Topping et al, 2021), and aid recruitment by increasing geographical coverage (Thunberg & Arnell, 2021). Research on non-disabled young people suggests that, notwithstanding technical issues, online interviewing makes it easier to divulge personal experiences, as a result of the physical distance between respondent and researcher (Weller, 2017).…”