Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Editors’ Perspective On The Use Of Visual Displays In Qualitative Studies, Norma I. Scagnoli, Susana Verdinelli

The Qualitative Report

Research indicates that visual displays in qualitative research are under-utilized and under-developed. This study aimed to reach a clearer understanding of this fact by learning from the perspective of seven editors in qualitative journals. Using a qualitative descriptive design this study explored what constitutes an appropriate and helpful use of visual displays, including examples from current practices, and recommendations in the use and creation of visual displays. This paper reveals new insights by experts and very knowledgeable personalities in the area of qualitative research. The experts’ vision provided information that favors inclusion of visuals in qualitative studies as well as …

A Randomized Trial Of Brief Assessment Interventions To Reduce Hiv/Sti Sexual Risk And Drug Use Among Young Adults Who Use Drugs In The Club Scene, Steven P. Kurtz, Mance E. Buttram, Maria Elizabeth Pagano, Hilary L Surratt

CAHSS Faculty Presentations, Proceedings, Lectures, and Symposia

Extensive polydrug use puts nightclub attendees at high risk for health problems, including HIV/ STI; mental distress; and drug dependence.

There is pervasive resistance to participation in formal interventions. Club scene participants tend to be suspicious of or disinterested in drug use and sexual risk prevention messages delivered by governmental or health authorities.

Efficacious interventions to reduce sexual risk, drug use, and related consequences for this population are not apparent in the literature.

Critical Autobiography As Research, Anthony Walker

The Qualitative Report

Identity is a reflection of how people view themselves within the social structure (Campbell, 2010; Hill & Thomas, 2000). Too often these identities are mirror images of normalized labels and affiliations defined by, and through, social norms and values. Introspective of social constructs and teachings of normalcy, often times one’s identity and status is never questioned (Ramsey, 2004). Juxtaposing systemic thinking with personal knowledge, this article offers insights into the uses and contributions of critical autobiographical research as a both paradigm of research and practice. This article seeks to link the application of critical autobiography with educational practice and theory …

“That Pain Is Genuine To Them”: Provider Perspectives On Chronic Pain In University Student Populations, Alexandra C.H. Nowakowski, Kaitlyn E. Barningham, Charlyn D. Buford, Martin Laguerre, J. E. Sumerau

The Qualitative Report

We explored provider attitudes about and experiences in chronic pain management for university student populations. Our central question was: “What do providers at a large university campus health care center experience in the process of offering pain management services?” We explored instrumental, behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal dimensions of our participants’ experiences using a qualitative case study approach. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 10 health care providers at the student health center for a large research university in Florida. Interviews captured providers’ background and experiences in providing pain management to student patients with diverse needs. We used grounded theory …

Translanguaging Supports Reading With Deaf Adult Bilinguals: A Qualitative Approach, Dan Hoffman, Ju-Lee Wolsey, Jean Andrews, Diane Clark

The Qualitative Report

Translanguaging is a pedagogical theory and an approach to teaching language. It conceptualizes the dynamic ways in which bilinguals use their linguistic repertoire and language practices in both languages for learning, meaning-making, reading, and writing. This study reports on the results of a qualitative study using Grounded Theory. The research question posed was, “what insights do bilingual Deaf readers provide regarding their metalinguistic processes and reading strategies used during translanguaging? To answer this question, responses were gathered from Deaf adults who were interviewed on their language and literacy histories. Further, they were queried about their reading comprehension practices using translanguaging. …

Perceptions Of Athletes In Disabled And Non-Disabled Sport Contexts: A Descriptive Qualitative Research Study, Sheryl L. Chatfield, Michael Cottingham Ii

The Qualitative Report

The term supercrip suggests extraordinary feats but is sometimes applied to any proficiency demonstrated by an athlete with a disability. This use of the term potentially undermines spectator appreciation for achievements of the upper echelon of disability sports participants. Prior disability sport researchers have suggested that a comparison of individuals’ perceptions of athletic heroes with and without disabilities has potential to help disability sport marketers counter the supercrip stereotype. The purpose of this research was to explore differences in perceptions by comparing participant descriptions of role models with and without disabilities. Research participants, who consisted of undergraduate students at a …

Private Universities And Development Of Higher Education In Nigeria: A Mixed Methods Approach, Yusuf Suleiman, Zahyah Binti Hanafi, Muhajir Taslikhan

The Qualitative Report

Private university education is unarguably one of the growing trends in the education system in the world. Providing university education to citizens should not be the solitary efforts of government, but should be the responsibility of adults at all levels. The giant stride of private investment in the acceleration of university education in Nigeria is overwhelming. This paper examines the private university's contribution to the development of university education in Nigeria, focusing on the strengths, weaknesses and way forward. Basically, the purpose of the study is to highlight the areas where private universities had contributed to the advancement of university …

Exhibiting Resistance During An Organisational Transformation: The Telecommunication Industry In Ghana, Cyracus Badinye Bapuuroh

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to explore how employees reacted by the manifestation of resistant behaviours and attitudes during an organizational transformation in the telecommunication industry of Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative multiple case study using two organizations. Data was obtained primarily through interviews from twenty employees. Seven (7) participants were interviewed from MTN Ghana and thirteen (13) participants from AIRTEL Ghana. Both managers and non-managers were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify relevant themes. The main theme determined from the analysis of data is: Manifestation of resistance and the accompanying sub-themes are …

Examining Participation Among Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries And Disorders Using Photovoice, Salva Balbale, Keshonna Lones, Jennifer N. Hill, Sherri L. Lavela Phd, Mph, Mba

The Qualitative Report

Participation is a significant rehabilitation outcome for individuals with spinal cord injury and/or disorder (SCI/D), yet few qualitative studies have described the social aspect of disability and community participation. We used the photovoice methodology to explore perceptions and experiences related to participation among Veterans with SCI/D. We recruited a convenience sample of individuals with SCI/D at the Hines Veterans Affairs (VA) SCI/D Unit. Participants were asked to take photographs exemplifying their experiences and activities regarding participation. Within four weeks, participants returned their photographs and completed semi-structured interviews to discuss their photographs. Interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive coding approach …

Evaluating Financial Planning Advertisements For Retirement In India: A Content Analysis, Ritu Gupta, Sudeepta Pradhan

The Qualitative Report

For Indians, retirement is neither a formal stage of life nor an issue that people dwell upon while planning their future. Despite the lack of preparation for retirement, a burgeoning population indicates a huge mass of retirees in the coming decades. These statistics trigger the need for individuals to prepare for their retirement appropriately, while accounting for factors like inflation. To highlight the significance of retirement planning and create awareness among the masses, pre-requisites to retirement planning should be effectively communicated. Extant literature suggests advertising to be one such measure of effective communication. This study intended to capture the extent …

Qualitative Research With Participants Suffering From Ostracism: A Practical Guide For The Novice Researcher, Daniel Waldeck

The Qualitative Report

Being ostracized can be painful for most people, but for those who experience this persistently it can lead to severe levels of psychological distress. At present, there is a scarcity of qualitative research which focuses on this group of vulnerable individuals. This paper acts as a guide for the novice researcher who plans to research this population.

To Think Or Not To Think With Theory In Qualitative Research, Mohamed Yacoub

The Qualitative Report

Thinking with Theory in Qualitative Research: Viewing Data across Multiple Perspectives is a book that challenges the traditional way of analyzing qualitative data. The book invites researchers who use qualitative methods to think with theory when it comes to analyzing their data since analyzing the data with no theory in mind can make injustice to the data. Thinking with theory, however, can enrich one’s study and direct the process of the data analysis. The authors offer us six theories, as examples, to think with when analyzing qualitative data. These theories are: Derrida’s Deconstruction, Spivak’s Marginality, Foucault’s Power/Knowledge, Butler’s Performativity, Deleuze’s …

Loneliness And Family Burden: An Exploratory Investigation On The Emotional Experiences Of Caregivers Of Patients With Severe Mental Illness, Francesca Dicé, Felice Zoena

The Qualitative Report

We present here an exploratory descriptive investigation about the needs of the caregivers of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) referring to a mental health service of a Southern Italian city. Twelve caregivers were queried, as experienced contacts, about their own emotional involvement and their relationship with the patient by means of a semi-structured interview. Interviews were subjected to a qualitative thematic-categorical analysis. The results reveal painful experiences of anguish and feelings of inadequacy stemming from care-giving, which gravely impact the caregivers' personal well-being and family relations.

Outreach To Broward County High Schools: Nsu's Alvin Sherman Library Research And Information Technology Center, Sarah Cisse

Staff Presentations, Proceedings, Lectures, and Symposia

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of African American/Black Msm's Experiences Of Participating In A Substance Use And Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention, Mance E. Buttram, Steven P. Kurtz

CAHSS Faculty Articles

The majority of new HIV infections in the United States are among men who have sex with men (MSM), and African American/Black MSM are especially affected. Employing a grounded theory approach, this study presents qualitative data from 21 African American/Black MSM who participated in a substance use and sexual risk reduction intervention trial (Project ROOM [men Reaching Out to Other Men]) in South Florida. African American/Black MSM from Project ROOM reduced their substance use and sexual risk behaviors at a faster rate than other men in the study. The present study examines how the experiences of participation in Project ROOM …

The Lli Chronicle Volume 8 Issue 1 - 40th Anniversary Newsletter, Nova Southeastern University

Lifelong Learning Institute Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Commentary: Thoughts On Cyberchondria -- A New Challenge For Healthcare Providers, Nancy Lutwak

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

No abstract provided.

Temporality In Phenomenology: Utilizing The Principles In Practice For Significance Of A Sex Research, Ka Wing Kevin Kwan

The Qualitative Report

This article aims to demonstrate how the researcher can utilize the principle of temporality in phenomenology as a method to explore and to reveal the human experience through its application in sex research. Although phenomenological studies have been increasingly adopted for qualitative inquiry in the field of social science, the idea of the horizon of temporality and its practical utilization is rarely demonstrated explicitly. In this study, the researcher has investigated the interpretation of marital experience of Chinese spouses in Hong Kong who have been assessed with sexual dysfunctions with attention to the couples’ perspectives. Having adopted a synthetic qualitative …

Formative Assessment And Its Influence On Classroom Community In Biocalculus, Rebecca A. Dibbs, Daniel Rios, Brian Christopher

The Qualitative Report

Most of the attrition from STEM majors occurs between the first two semesters of calculus, and prospective life science majors are one of the groups with the highest attrition rate. One of the largest factors for students that persist in STEM major beyond the first semester of calculus was a sense of community and a perceived connection with their instructor. Since building a sense of community is one of the stated purposes of formative assessment, we investigated how instructor and student perceptions of the purpose of formative assessment contributed to the formation of classroom community in a calculus for life …

Using “Tapestries” To Document The Collective Mathematical Thinking Of Small Groups, Alayne Armstrong

The Qualitative Report

A challenge in mathematics education research has been to document the complex nature of collective mathematical learning. This paper describes a method of data analysis that offers a visual representation of collective discourse during mathematical tasks. Using data extracts from a study of small groups in a middle years classroom, I color code collective utterances to create a “tapestry,” a type of transcript that offers researchers the ability to move between individual and collective planes of focus during analysis. The nature of collective thinking is revealed by tapestries, including how utterances bump against each other, the role of utterances evolves …

Systematic Surveillance Of Illicitly Manufactured Fentanyl Cases Initiated By Law Enforcement, Steven P. Kurtz, Mance E. Buttram

CAHSS Faculty Presentations, Proceedings, Lectures, and Symposia

No abstract provided.

General, Target, And Accessible Population: Demystifying The Concepts For Effective Sampling, Nestor Asiamah, Henry Kofi Mensah, Eric Fosu Oteng-Abayie

The Qualitative Report

In this paper the concepts of general, target and accessible population are explained in response to misconceptions and controversies associated with them, and the fact that the relationships between them have not been explained in the context of qualitative enquiry in any formal study. These concepts are discussed in this study based on a general scenario. We basically attempt to explain the importance of specifying the general, target and accessible populations in a qualitative study when the study population is large. The study depicts how the research goal, contexts and assumptions can dictate the content and concentration of the target …

Boxing Culture And Serious Leisure Among North-American Youth: An Embodied Ethnography, Nuno F. Ribeiro

The Qualitative Report

In this paper, I discuss how I followed in the footsteps of Loïc Wacquant (2004) and took a closer and personal look at boxing as a leisure activity, from the point of view of those who participate in it, using embodied ethnography as the means of research. I was curious as to how and/or if leisure theory relates and applies to boxing, given the latter’s peculiar characteristics, which seem to equate it more with “work” than with “leisure.” I sought to answer a basic question, "Why do you box?" within these theoretical and methodological frameworks, and discovered that, while Robert …

Hidden Challenges Of Novice English Teachers In A Korean Independent School: Through An Ethnographic Lens, Ju Seong (John) Lee

The Qualitative Report

This study aims to unravel challenges experienced by two novice English teachers in a Korean independent school, the steadily growing education sector worldwide. The author spent 13 months in the participants’ natural environment, observing and collecting data through observation field notes, interviews, questionnaires, and cultural probes. A grounded theory approach was adopted to guide the recursive data analysis and identify the themed findings – personal factors (e.g., unrealistic expectations) and sociocultural factors (e.g., school policy and structure). These findings suggest that novice English teachers should obtain accurate information about their new school and actively seek formal and informal support from …

The Cross-Cultural Experiences Of Saudi Sojourners In The United States: A Study Of Intrapersonal Identity Conflict, Ahmed M. Asfahani Ph.D.

Journal of Interdisciplinary Conflict Science

What are the cross-cultural experiences of Saudi sojourners studying in the United States that lead to intrapersonal identity conflict? Sojourner identity conflict is a foundational issue in culture shock and can promote or limit positive relationships between Saudi and American students. It is important to study Saudi sojourners’ cultural backgrounds and the factors that inhibit or promote assimilation into their host culture to ensure the success of cultural exchange through providing data needed to learn how to best ameliorate the dissonance caused by identity conflict. By employing a phenomenological approach, this research provides findings relating to acculturation strategies of sojourners …

Role Of Civil Society Organizations In Conflict Resolution And Peacebuilding In Ghana, Abdul Karim Issifu Mr

Journal of Interdisciplinary Conflict Science

Ghana is both locally and internationally described as an oasis of peace and stability on a continent circumvented by conflicts. The country has not experienced any form of large-scale violence or civil war since independence in March 1957. Nevertheless, it is faced with pockets of relative violence, including chieftaincy conflict and land dispute, killing several people and destroying many properties. In an effort to help resolve these conflicts, the Ghanaian government ends up prolonging it due to its position in some of the conflicts. However, the review of secondary data revealed that many of the conflicts in Ghana have often …

Nurturing Self: Psychotherapeutic Implications Of Women's Reflections On The Meaning Of Their Cherished Possessions, Stephanie L. Martin

The Qualitative Report

Experiencing the importance of one’s personal treasures is ubiquitous to the human experience, but what is the depth and meaning of this lived phenomenon? An interpretive phenomenological method was used to explore the meaning and significance of women’s experience of their cherished personal possessions. Nine women participated in three individual semi-structured phenomenological interviews each. Interpretive analysis revealed that women’s experience of their cherished personal possessions is one of nurturing self. Through their cherished personal possessions, women nurture their sense of self by connecting with others, affirming personal experience, supporting self through change, and cultivating a sense of self. Implications for …

Mediators’ Self-Perception Of Their Work And Practice: Content And Lexical Analysis, Anne Pignault, Raymond Meyers, Claude Houssemand

The Qualitative Report

Mediation is increasingly used in various areas of society. Yet few studies have shed light on the unique work of mediators and their perception of the “mediator effect” on the process. The purpose of this qualitative study is to gather and compare mediators’ views about their work through feedback on their practices and to understand what they perceive as the bases for reaching a favorable outcome. This article presents the results of a content analysis of interviews with 13 mediators from different countries and cultures. The analysis grouped professional discourses into four areas: the process of the mediation meeting, mediation …

Abuse Liability Of Tapentadol Is Significantly Lower Than Other Schedule Ii Opioids, Steven P. Kurtz

CAHSS Faculty Presentations, Proceedings, Lectures, and Symposia

No abstract provided.

Gaining Access To Socially Stigmatized Samples, Avon M. Hart-Johnson Phd

The Qualitative Report

Gaining access to stigmatized populations using qualitative sampling requires the application of carefully planned strategies to avoid inadvertent slights to research participants. While there is a growing body of literature on qualitative sampling strategies, there is less discussion on how to manage the sensitivities of stigmatized research participants, such as African American females with incarcerated mates. This paper provides insight into how successful recruitment strategies, aligned with best practices described as checkpoints, enabled this researcher to gain access to a sample of 20 African American women who experienced grief and loss, and social withdrawal as a result of their mate’s …