Rigor in Qualitative Research: The Assessment of Trustworthiness

Krefting, Laura

doi:10.5014/ajot.45.3.214

Cited by 2,596 publications

(2,129 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…24 Therefore, as part of the process of the meta-synthesis, the quality of relevant studies was evaluated using predetermined criteria. 21,30 Krefting 42 observed that 'too frequently, qualitative research is evaluated against criteria appropriate to quantitative research and is found to be lacking'. This is not due to an inherent inadequacy, but rather to the inappropriate imposition of criteria developed for a different form of inquiry.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

Hammell¹

2006

Spinal Cord

165

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Study design: Meta-synthesis of qualitative research. Objectives: To identify, compare and synthesize the factors found to contribute to, or detract from the experience of a life worth living following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Published articles were identified from the Medline, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts databases, a hand search through selected journals published since 1990, and from reference lists. These were assessed for their relevance to the focus of interest and appraised for rigour and quality. The key themes that emerged from the data were summarized, compared and synthesized. Results: The search located 64 papers and four books, of which seven papers met the review criteria for relevance and rigour, and in which 10 main concepts were identified: (1) body problems, (2) loss, (3) relationships, (4) responsibility for, and control of one's life, (5) occupation, and ability to contribute, (6) environmental context, (7) new values/perspective transformation, (8) good and bad days, (9) self-worth, (10) self-continuity. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the utility of synthesizing qualitative research to provide a greater depth of insight into the factors that contribute to, and detract from, quality of life (QOL) after SCI. It also provides a more nuanced understanding of the experience of QOL following SCI than is achievable by quantitative methods. Future qualitative research is required to probe further the concepts and connections identified in this study, and to identify how rehabilitation services might best address these issues. Sponsorship: N/A. The vast majority of research into QOL following SCI has adopted a quantitative approach, 3 reflecting researchers' assumptions that quality can be measured quantitatively; that the determinants of QOL following SCI can be reliably predicted by able-bodied researchers; and that the subjective experience of a life can be objectively and accurately discerned by another person. These assumptions have been challenged [5][6][7][8][9][10] and it has been argued that the results of these studies are both misleading and of questionable value. 11 Indeed, it has been suggested that how someone attempts to 'measure' QOL says more about their own values, priorities and fundamental orientation to life than it does about the QOL of the people whose lives are ostensibly being studied. 3,12 Quantitative research is hypothesis-driven, requiring researchers to predetermine the variables to be measured and thus to identify in advance those factors that are relevant and important to the issue under investigation. This inevitably limits the range of possible findings. For example, if 'pain' is not included as a variable in a quantitative study of QOL then pain will not be found to influence QOL. Quantitative methods are therefore Recognizing the inherent problems with attempts to quantitatively measure QOL among people with SCI many researchers have advocated the use of qualitative methods that can explore both the meaning of QOL for people with SCI and the f...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

Hammell¹

2006

Spinal Cord

165

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“…Codes were compared and disagreements were discussed. Peer examination guards against bias and enhances the robustness of the findings (Burnard 1991, Krefting 1991. Codes were collapsed by grouping together similar codes and coding was refined until the main themes emerged.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This study used several methods to enhance rigour. First, the participants were provided with transcribed interviews to check, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the information (Krefting 1991). Second, transcripts were coded independently by three researchers and themes were developed by subsequent discussion, which improved the reliability of the analysis (Mays and Pope 2000).…”

Section: Environmental Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative analysis of the benefits of strength training for young people with cerebral palsy

McBurney

Taylor

Dodd

et al. 2003

Develop Med Child Neuro

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This qualitative study investigated the positive and negative outcomes of a home‐based strength‐training programme for young people with cerebral palsy (CP). Eleven young people with spastic diplegic CP (seven females, four males; mean age 12 years 9 months, SD 2 years 10 months; range 8 to 18 years) and their parents were interviewed. Gross Motor Function Classification System scores ranged from I (walks without limitations) to III (walks with assistive device), with a mode of III. The strength‐training programme, which was conducted in the participants’homes three times per week for 6 weeks (total of 18 prescribed sessions), comprised three exercises targeting the major support muscles of the lower limbs. Exercises were bilateral half squats, heel raises, and step‐ups. The training load was increased by adding free weights to a backpack so that 8 to 10 repetitions of each exercise could be performed. Using thematic coding, three categories of outcome emerged: body function and structure, activity, and participation, which were influenced by environmental and personal contextual factors. The programme generated overwhelmingly positive outcomes with only minor negative responses about some equipment and the need for parental involvement. Benefits included perceptions that strength, flexibility, posture, walking, and the ability to negotiate steps had improved. In addition, participants reported psychological benefits such as a feeling of increased well‐being and improved participation in school and leisure activities. The contextual factors highlighted the fact that sufficient clinician resources must be allocated to solve individual exercise and equipment problems. As well as providing further evidence that strength training can be beneficial, this study provides useful indicators to guide future quantitative studies of outcomes that are meaningful for people with CP.

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“…Another method of increasing credibility is through peer examination which involves the researcher discussing the research process and findings with people who have experience with qualitative methods (Beck, 1993;Krefting, 1991). In this study, my thesis supervisory committee was composed of two faculty members from the School of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland.…”

Section: Credibility Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lived Experience of Fathers Who Have Children With Asthma: A Phenomenological Study

Cashin¹,

Small²,

Solberg³

2008

Journal of Pediatric Nursing

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Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. It is a leading cause of school absenteeism and accounts for a major portion of pediatric admissions to emergency departments and hospitals. When a child is diagnosed with asthma, parents become responsible for the long-term management of a chronic condition that may be characterized by unpredictable and irregular episodes.Most of the research concerning parents and childhood asthma is focussed on mothers. The small number of studies in which mothers and fathers were compared revealed that differences do exist between their experiences and responses. Paternal perspectives and experiences of caring for a child with asthma have been sparsely explored.This phenomenological study used van Manen's (1994) method of inquiry to explore the lived experience of fathers who have children with asthma. A sample of eight fathers with children aged 7 to 11 years who had been diagnosed with asthma were interviewed in order to find out what their experiences were like. From the analysis of the interview data, five themes were identified: feeling relief in knowing the diagnosis, learning the ropes, living with concern, being vigilant, and being comfortable with asthma management. The findings from this study have implications for nursing practice, education, and research. Understanding the experience of fathers who have children with asthma, and gaining insight into their needs and concerns is a first step to providing supportive nursing care. It is important to include fathers in future research studies and examine their unique experience in parenting ill children. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Rigor in Qualitative Research: The Assessment of Trustworthiness

Cited by 2,596 publications

References 12 publications

Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

A qualitative analysis of the benefits of strength training for young people with cerebral palsy

The Lived Experience of Fathers Who Have Children With Asthma: A Phenomenological Study

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