‘Quantifying’ qualitative data: an illustrative example of the use of Q methodology in psychosocial research

Shemmings, David

doi:10.1191/1478088706qp060oa

Cited by 65 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The primary interest of Q is subjectivity, and the method is designed to reveal subjectivity such as beliefs, views and feelings on the topic under examination (Brown 1980(Brown , 1991(Brown /1992. The method provides an innovative approach to qualitative analysis' by the way qualitative data are quantified (Shemmings 2006b). In short, participants in a Q study are asked to rank order a variety of statements according to how they themselves relate to those statements.…”

Section: Q Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Q, it is the respondents' Q-sorts that are subjected to factor analysis, which differs from traditional quantitative research, where the items are factor analysed (Shemmings 2006b;Stainton-Rogers 1995). The emerging factors reveal how participants' sharing views are grouped together, as well as which statements are typically rated positively or negatively by participants on the same factor.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Ellingsen

Shemmings

Størksen

2011

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

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In Norway, about 8,000 children live in foster homes (about 3.300 in age group 13-17). What does 'family' mean to these children? We explored the views and feelings about 'family' among 22 adolescents who are living in long-term foster care. Three patterns emerged. Most of the participants expressed confidence and adjustment in the foster home placement and felt bonded to both their foster family and to their birth family. Other adolescents expressed a strong sense of membership to their birth family but not to their foster family, and the remaining adolescents described a weak bond to birth family but a strong bond to their foster family. The main implications of the three patterns are discussed in the light of policy and practice.

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Section: Q Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Ellingsen

Shemmings

Størksen

2011

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Although Q methodology has existed and has been in use as a viable research methodology for some time, it can be considered an emerging methodology in the social sciences. Even though it includes principles of factor analyses, it has been conceptualized as being more qualitative in nature (Shemmings, 2006). Therefore, although it uses methods of factor analysis to group individuals' perspectives, it is not considered to be quantitative in the traditional sense, thus lending itself to gaining an understanding of various perspectives concerning a particular topic.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Q methodology, a sample size of 29 participants is considered to be appropriate to achieve an understanding of participants' perspectives (see Brown, 1986), and because of these routine small sample sizes, power analyses are not needed or calculated (Shemmings, 2006). …”

Section: Samplementioning

confidence: 99%

Counselors'-in-Training Perceptions of Gendered Behavior

2008

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“…A thorough account of Q methodology is outside the scope of this article, but several are readily available (e.g., Shemmings, 2006;Watts & Stenner, 2005a). It comprises both a sorting procedure, and an analysis of pattern.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with choosing a career in clinical psychology—undergraduate minority ethnic perspectives

Meredith

Baker

2007

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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Concerns have been expressed by clinical psychologists about the preponderance of white members of the profession. While studies of minority ethnic recruitment into health professions and entry into higher education have been conducted at undergraduate level, the extent to which their results can be mapped on to issues of minority ethnic choosing of postgraduate training in clinical psychology is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the attraction or otherwise of professional clinical psychology to potential minority ethnic applicants. Q methodology was used to identify patterns of incentives and disincentives within a series of statements about the profession and its academic subject matter. Thirty‐seven UK minority ethnic undergraduate psychology students completed Q‐sort ratings. Along with narrative descriptions of seven factors derived from analysis of the data, we present three overall categories. Q‐sort data are by design defined by positive and negative aspects, and our interpretations indicate a mixture of overall attraction in all three categories. These patterns of thinking extend what was known from previous research, and explicate something of the complexity of participants' views of clinical psychology. Within the constraints of the study's limitations, we view them as a small contribution towards an empirically based understanding of factors influential in the recruitment of an ethnically more representative workforce. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

‘Quantifying’ qualitative data: an illustrative example of the use of Q methodology in psychosocial research

Cited by 65 publications

References 16 publications

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

The Concept of ‘Family’ Among Norwegian Adolescents in Long-Term Foster Care

Counselors'-in-Training Perceptions of Gendered Behavior

Factors associated with choosing a career in clinical psychology—undergraduate minority ethnic perspectives

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