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Discovering Meaning-Making In A Child Custody Context: The Combined Benefits Of Using Van Manen's Phenomenology And A Critical Lens, Beth Archer-Kuhn

The Qualitative Report

Phenomenology as a methodology reveals lived experience (van Manen, 2017); as such, it is an excellent methodology to help us understand the parent perceptions and experiences of child custody decision-making. Qualitative researchers have explored the ways in which lived experience is influenced by issues of culture and gender (Kall & Zeiler, 2014). In this paper, I explain how the key tenets of phenomenology, epoché and reduction, revealed the importance of custody status for participants, and also discuss how differences in gender was rendered invisible in the initial analysis. The flexible nature of phenomenology allowed me to use a critical lens …

Experiences Of Female Sex Trafficking Survivors: A Phenomenological Analysis, Tetiana Sukach, Natali Gonzalez, Jaclyn Cravens Pickens

The Qualitative Report

Human sex trafficking is a worldwide issue that affects millions of people. Victims of this industry undergo numerous traumatic events, which greatly impact their lives. Given the prevalence and traumatic nature of the sex trafficking industry, there is a need to raise greater awareness of victims’ experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of 15 female survivors of sex trafficking, who shared their stories on equalitynow.org. Using phenomenology, the researchers answered the following questions: “What are the experiences of female survivors of sexual human trafficking within the industry?” and “How do survivors make sense of those …

Parkinson’S Disease Support Groups In Rural America: Barriers, Resources, And Opportunities, Erin J. Bush, Reshmi L. Singh, Mary Jo C. Hidecker, Catherine Phillips Carrico

The Qualitative Report

People with Parkinson’s disease who live in rural communities may lack information and support regarding their condition, compared to those in urban or suburban areas. For the study described herein, the researchers sought to gain a deeper understanding of support group experiences of rural Parkinson’s disease stakeholders through merging an interpretive phenomenological design with Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). Using this merged approach, we collected qualitative data from five focus groups to gain a community perspective. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically, first, and then further explored for an overall essence. The theme, Support Group Benefits: Opportunities for Communication expounded upon …

United We Stand: Narrative Study To Aid The Counseling Profession In Developing A Coherent Identity, Sunhee Jang Eissenstat, Lynn Bohecker

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of the study was to learn how non-counseling-related professions have navigated the developmental issues the counseling profession has been facing such as (1) strengthening identity, (2) presenting as one profession, (3) improving public perception and advocacy, and (4) creating licensure portability. The researchers provide the narratives of six people from three non-counseling-related professions who have been instrumental in the development of their respective professions. The overarching open-ended research question posed was, “What is the narrative history of your profession?” Follow-up questions were used to explore specific challenges within their respective professions that may have been similar to the …

Full Issue

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Military Parent’S Ptsd And Children’S Mental Health: A Scoping Review, Tara Collins

The Qualitative Report

It is widely recognized that the mental health of parents impacts children’s well-being. A scoping review was conducted to examine what was known from the research specific to mental health issues facing children as a consequence of their military parent’s PTSD. The parameters of this review were based on Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) recommendations for completion of a scoping review. From the search, 163 articles were located from 5 electronic databases. Of those, 35 were related to the topic and, after implementing the inclusion and exclusion criteria 21 were included in this scoping review. Although the scoping review demonstrated that …

Vignettes In Qualitative Educational Research: Investigating Greek School Principals’ Values, Pelagia A. Stravakou, Evangelia Ch. Lozgka

The Qualitative Report

Vignettes are hypothetical scenarios of many forms that are presented to interviewees in qualitative studies to elicit participants’ answers on diverse topics. Although there are few scholars having discussed the application of vignettes in qualitative studies, there is no article assessing the implementation of vignettes in the field of educational administration. Therefore, our article discusses the vignette technique as a data collection tool within the qualitative methodological paradigm with a focus on the aforementioned field. More specifically, in the first section we outline the design of hypothetical scenarios and their advantages and disadvantages as a data gathering tool, according to …

Barriers To School-Based Parent Involvement While Living In Public Housing: A Mother’S Perspective, Stephanie Lechuga-Peña, Daniel Brisson

The Qualitative Report

Parent involvement is associated with child academic outcomes, positive behaviors, and social skills. This qualitative study explored school-based parent involvement barriers experienced by nine low-income mothers. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from mothers participating in a community-based program offered in a large public housing neighborhood. Findings included three main barriers: (a) cultural and language differences in their children’s school, (b) undertones of racism from teachers and parents, and (c) being the primary caregiver or sole provider for their children. Although all parents experience challenges to school involvement, low-income mothers face additional obstacles preventing them from engaging in their …

Barriers To Pregnancy Spacing In Women Living With Hiv: A Series Of Informational Interviews, Rachel K. Scott, Piyapa Praditpan, Patricia Tanjutco, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Regina Zopf, Manon M. Schladen

The Qualitative Report

For reproductive-age women living with HIV, birth spacing allows for optimization of maternal health and viral suppression to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We conducted semi-structured informational interviews to explore use of contraception for birth spacing. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Audio files were reviewed to capture non-explicit data. We interviewed 18 multiparous HIV positive women. All described experiences with at least one contraceptive method. Six themes emerged: Burden of contraception, Failure of birth control, Impact of youth and lack of life experience, Community beliefs about birth control, Lack of partner cooperation, and Altruism. Women viewed birth spacing favorably. Young …

Modus Operandi Of Oppressing The “Savages”: The Kenyan British Colonial Experience, Peter Karari

Peace and Conflict Studies

Colonialism can be traced back to the dawn of the “age of discovery” that was pioneered by the Portuguese and the Spanish empires in the 15^th century. It was not until the 1870s that “New Imperialism” characterized by the ideology of European expansionism envisioned acquiring new territories overseas. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 prepared the ground for the direct rule and occupation of Africa by European powers. In 1895, Kenya became part of the British East Africa Protectorate. From 1920, the British colonized Kenya until her independence in 1963. As in many other former British colonies around the world, …

The What, Where, How And Why: A Review Of Being Ethnographic: A Guide To The Theory And Practice Of Ethnography, Jetlexis Carlos

The Qualitative Report

In Being Ethnographic: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Ethnography, Raymond Madden presents ethnography in a way that is easily understood by describing real life experiences from both his own work and others working in the field. This book is a great resource to guide those who wish to conduct ethnographic research or need a learning tool to understand the underlying nature of ethnographic research. Madden links the way ethnographic research is done to how ethnographic research is thought about. It is a great introduction to the “what,” “where,” “how,” and “why” of practicing of ethnography.

Disclosing An Eating Disorder: A Situational Analysis Of Online Accounts, Emily P. Williams, Shelly Russell-Mayhew, Alana Ireland

The Qualitative Report

Disclosing a mental illness can be difficult, especially for those affected by eating disorders. Individuals impacted by eating disorders often worry that disclosing their situation may lead to fear, judgment, and stigmatization. Online eating disorder communities have become increasingly popular, hosting thousands of users worldwide, and may be safe places for individuals with eating disorders to communicate and connect. In this postmodern study, we utilized situational analysis to examine online accounts on publically accessible websites where individuals discussed disclosing eating disorders. Situational Analysis utilizes illustrative mapping techniques to demonstrate the complexity of the situation of inquiry, allowing researchers to highlight …

Life During The Biggest Loser: Experiences And Perspectives Of Non-Contestant Romantic Partners, Darren D. Moore, Clinton Cooper, Kai Zwierstra, Toiya Williams

The Qualitative Report

For this study, authors engaged in 9 semi-structured interviews with romantic partners of contestants who were involved with a weight loss intervention (The Biggest Loser), to gain insight into the phenomenon of weight loss within the context of couple relationships and reality television. Utilizing Basic Qualitative Description influenced by aspects of phenomenology, the authors explored the role of weight loss and the role that the specific intervention utilized, has played within the couple relationship. Building upon previous research (Moore, Cooper, Williams, & Zwierstra, 2017a) authors added the voice of the non-contestant partners to the discussion and explored experiences …

The Current Volume 28: Issue 24, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Using Nvivo™ For Literature Reviews: The Eight Step Pedagogy (N7+1), Maureen M. O'Neill Dr, Sarah R. Booth Mrs, Janeen Therese Lamb Phd

The Qualitative Report

While a literature review is a necessary milestone to be completed by all researchers in a timely and efficient manner, it is often one of the most difficult aspects of the research journey. Moreover, traditional approaches often leave novice researchers, to struggle with the conceptualisation of their literature review, now complicated by the overwhelming quantity of research available online. This paper presents a rationale the use of Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) programs for literature reviews. QDAS tools allow the researcher to explore large amounts of textual documents to see patterns. These programs are often overlooked by novice researchers due …

Contemporary Methodological Approaches To Qualitative Research: A Review Of The Oxford Handbook Of Qualitative Methods, Dian Jordan

The Qualitative Report

Researchers can discover the dynamism of new methods of qualitative inquiry and discover new applications for the established methods. The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Methods (2014), edited by Patricia Leavy examines topics ranging from the politics of knowledge to researcher prejudice and bias extant in qualitative research. History, ethics, philosophy, and theoretical approaches of qualitative research are presented in a cogent manner. Topics include grounded theory, feminist research, indigenous methodologies, narrative inquiry, ethnography, case studies, oral history, content analysis, Internet research, photography and arts-based research, community-based research, qualitative disaster research, and mixed-methods. Chapters are devoted to skill-building techniques for …

Exploring Identity: What We Do As Qualitative Researchers, Kerstin Roger, Tracey A. Bone, Tuula Heinonen, Karen Schwartz, Joyce Slater, Sulaye Thakrar

The Qualitative Report

Although there has been much discussion about distinctions between quantitative and qualitative research, our purpose here is not to revive those conversations, but instead to attempt to explore and articulate our identities as researchers who practice in the qualitative tradition. Using autoethnography as our methodology, we as six researchers from various social science disciplines and at various career stages engaged in focused introspection by responding individually to two questions: who am I as a qualitative researcher; and how did I come to that understanding? This reflection led to discussions of those elements and experiences that have shaped the way we …

Developing And Implementing A Participatory Action Research Assistantship Program At The Community College, Mia Ocean, Kelli Tigertail, James Keller, Kathleen Woods

The Qualitative Report

Despite serving almost half of the U.S. undergraduate students, community colleges and their constituents are consistently marginalized in the research favoring external university experts to conduct research about them and on them. To counteract these top down, disempowering research practices, we piloted a Participatory Action Research Assistantship Program (PARAP). A PARAP is a modified version of a research assistantship program that is grounded in an anti-oppressive, participatory action research practice, creating change on many levels. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of practical and methodological steps to implement a PARAP at a community college including forming …

Ethical Issues In Conducting Community-Based Participatory Research: A Narrative Review Of The Literature, Crystal Kwan Ms., Christine A. Walsh

The Qualitative Report

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a methodology increasingly used within the social sciences. CBPR is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of research methodologies, including participatory research, participatory action research, feminist participatory research, action research, and collaborative inquiry. At its core, they share five key attributes: (i) community as a unit of identity; (ii) an approach for the vulnerable and marginalized; (iii) collaboration and equal partnership throughout the entire research process; (iv) an emergent, flexible, and iterative process; and (v) the research process is geared toward social action. While there is no shortage of literature that highlights the benefits …

Prioritising Doctoral Students’ Wellbeing In Qualitative Research, Stefania Velardo, Sam Elliott

The Qualitative Report

As novice researchers, doctoral students undertaking qualitative research become well-versed in strategies that should be adopted to minimise risk to participants. But what happens when a researcher is confronted with the complex, emotional account of a participant? Despite the consistent emphasis on participant safety, many doctoral students are not explicitly prompted to consider how they will negotiate their own emotional wellbeing throughout the research process. This is particularly important when conducting qualitative research with vulnerable populations. In these situations, sensitive and difficult topics are often discussed, with numerous risks to participants and researchers alike. However, concern for researcher wellbeing is …

Inductive And Deductive: Ambiguous Labels In Qualitative Content Analysis, Mohammad Reza Armat, Abdolghader Assarroudi, Mostafa Rad, Hassan Sharifi, Abbas Heydari

The Qualitative Report

The propounded dualism in Content Analysis as quantitative and qualitative approaches is widely supported and justified in nursing literature. Nevertheless, another sort of dualism is proposed for Qualitative Content Analysis, suggesting the adoption of "inductive" and/or "deductive" approaches in the process of qualitative data analysis. These approaches have been referred and labelled as "inductive" or "conventional"; and "deductive" or "directed" content analysis in the literature. Authors argue that these labels could be fallacious, and may lead to ambiguity; as in effect, both approaches are employed with different dominancy during the process of any Qualitative Content Analysis. Thus, authors suggest more …

Data Saturation: The Mysterious Step In Grounded Theory Method, Khaldoun M. Aldiabat, Carole-Lynne Le Navenec

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this paper is to provide a discussion that is broad in both depth and breadth, about the concept of data saturation in Grounded Theory. It is expected that this knowledge will provide a helpful resource for (a) the novice researcher using a Grounded Theory approach, or for (b) graduate students currently enrolled in a qualitative research course, and for (c) instructors who teach or supervise qualitative research projects. The following topics are discussed in this paper: (1) definition of data saturation in Grounded Theory (GT); (2) factors pertaining to data saturation; (3) factors that hinder data saturation; …

Why Do Families Relinquish Care Of Children With Intellectual Disability And Severe Challenging Behaviors? Professional’S Perspectives, Jessica Ng, Paul Rhodes

The Qualitative Report

Relinquishing care of a child with developmental disabilities can be a traumatic experience for parents. The aim of this study was to explore the perception of professionals regarding the relationships within families and service systems that contribute towards the relinquishment of children with Intellectual Disability (ID) and challenging behavior. Fifteen disability professionals were interviewed from a variety of disciplines, each having been involved in supporting a family while they relinquished care. A constructionist grounded theory approach was used for analysis, with data interpreted through a systemic lens. An accumulation of factors led to relinquishment, including the cumulative isolation of mothers …

Modifying The Qualitative Delphi Technique To Develop The Female Soldier Support Model, Daniel L. Roberts, Joann Kovacich

The Qualitative Report

The U.S. Army chaplaincy did not have a gender specific model for providing emotional and spiritual support to women soldiers. Such a model was needed because women often experience the military differently than men. The Comprehensive Female Soldier Support (CFS²) model was developed using a modified Delphi technique and a feminist theoretical framework. This study altered the Delphi design by using two successive panels of experts. The first panel, consisting of 10 wounded female soldiers, developed a list of pastoral needs experienced by the women. The second panel, composed of 11 female chaplains, provided solutions for those needs. …

Living, Doing, And Learning From Politics In A Youth Wing Of A Political Party, Carla Malafaia, Isabel Menezes, Tiago Neves

The Qualitative Report

The field of civic and political participation has been studied mostly from individual, psychological approaches rather than collective, relational perspectives. Here we address this gap through a political ethnography in the youth wing of a major Portuguese political party, conducted during the fervent months right before and after the Portuguese parliamentary elections of October 2015. Investigating the meaning-making of doing politics in real-life contexts, we assess the collective learning processes involved in political participation. This paper shows that youth wings can provide quality participation experiences. Indeed, collectively envisioning and constructing a more democratic society and working for the public good …

Exploring Teacher Factors That Influence Teacher-Child Relationships In Head Start: : A Grounded Theory, Shiyi Chen, Beth Phillips

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this paper was to explore factors that influence teacher-child relationships in Head Start. Three Head Start teachers from three centers were recruited for this study. Interview and observation data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach by using the qualitative data analysis software NVivo. Two coders completed the coding process. Inter-coder reliability and other triangulation techniques were employed to ensure the credibility of this study. The analysis revealed factors that teachers perceived as beneficial or harmful to their relationships with children. Three main themes emerged: professionalism (i.e., teacher beliefs, education, and work experience), teacher self-efficacy (i.e., teacher …

Reducing The Prevalence Of Falls In The Assisted Living Facility Setting, Joan Louis Pierre

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Falls are an issue of concern among the elderly population; it is not only costly, but their impact can have long-term consequences on the quality of life of the elderly. Fall risk in this population increases with age, and falls are the leading cause of accidental death and disability among older adults (Morris et al., 2016). Fall prevention is needed to help reduce these events. The success of this project required consideration of the unique needs of residents in the assisted living environment. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to reduce the prevalence of falls in the assisted …

Reducing The Prevalence Of Fall In The Assisted Living Facility Setting, Joan Louis Pierre

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Falls are an issue of concern among the elderly population; it is not only costly, but their impact can have long-term consequences on the quality of life of the elderly. Fall risk in this population increases with age, and falls are the leading cause of accidental death and disability among older adults (Morris et al., 2016). Fall prevention is needed to help reduce these events. The success of this project required consideration of the unique needs of residents in the assisted living environment.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to reduce the prevalence of falls in the assisted …

Winter 2018, Cahss Graduate Student Government Association

CAHSS Graduate SGA Dialogues

No abstract provided.

Course Delivery: Online, Hybrid, Service, And Experiential Learning Possibilities, Neil Katz, Ismael Muvingi, Judith Mckay

Conflict Resolution Studies Faculty Book and Book Chapters

Colleges and universities in the United States have long recognized the necessity of dispute resolution for the many different stakeholders who come together to live and work in the relatively confined campus community. Traditionally, student, faculty, and staff disputes were handled by offices of student affairs, human resource departments and legal affairs, or other administrative units. On the student side, administrators or student judges presided over disputes among students, infractions over code of conduct, or other policies, and resolved with either a dismissal of the issue or with imposed sanctions. On the employee side, formal investigation resulted in dismissal of …