Sociology Commons^™

Naming And Un-Naming A Research Study "Participatory", Sarai Koo, Jessica Nina Lester

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we explore our own discomfort with naming our research studies participatory action research – at least during the initial stages of our work – and highlight several practices that we believe serve to create greater researcher reflexivity. Drawing upon two different research studies, we share three “lessons from practice” generated from an analysis of our fieldnotes and a series of interactive interviews. The lessons illustrate how we have come to name and un-name our research “participatory.” We offer suggestions for other researchers committed to engaging in participatory action research.

I Didn't Consent To That: Secondary Analysis Of Discrimination Against Bdsm Identified Individuals, Larry Iannotti

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Sadomasochism (BDSM) sexual behavior is an understudied phenomenon within the social sciences generally, and social work in particular. While BESM sexuality encompasses a wide variety of activities a community of individuals interested in BDSM is identifiable and has coalesced around organized groups, events, political activism, and shared sexual interests. This community has experienced discrimination, violence, and harassment (DVH) as a result of social approbation and stigma associated with BDSM practices. The study examines results of a secondary analysis of data from the Survey of Violence & Discrimination against Sexual Minorities, conducted in 2008. Severity and frequency of various types …

Coming Of Age In Neoliberal New York, Jennifer Hope Sugg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Thirty years of neoliberal policies have left New York a divided city, with ever-rising rates of income inequality and widening social disparity. Structural transformations associated with global capitalism have led to divergent experiences for male and female youth coming of age in the 21st century. Girls are experiencing greater social integration and social mobility whereas, boys are facing social exclusion and limited opportunities. As young men precariously forge new transitions to adulthood, young women are constructed as ideal flexible subjects, benefiting from feminist achievements, and advancing in the new service economy. Yet in reality, girls continue to face gendered base …

Between Sites: Critical Convergences At The Personal, Interpersonal, And Institutional Levels In A Service Learning Course, Kendra Rashaun Brewster

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Set within the context of the increasing emphasis on civic engagement and transformative education, this work addresses service learning as a form of civic engagement that holds both the risks of acriticality and critical potential. This study examines the capacity for the critical consciousness and relationality that define the primary commitments of critical service learning (see Kinefuchi, 2010). Thus, this study is grounded in the ways that the circuits of privilege and dispossession were breached in a service learning course where college students travelled to mentor adolescent girls who were in a secure residential facility. The narratives of former service …

National Child Maltreatment Response And Foster Care Entries: 2005-2010, Zeinab Chahine

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study involves secondary analysis of the national administrative data contained in two major federal child maltreatment and foster care data systems, the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System for 2005 to 2010. The study examines the data related to screening in and determination of maltreatment reports (child maltreatment response), as well as the provision of services to children referred for maltreatment. The purpose is to determine how the child welfare services/child protective services systems responses to child maltreatment contributed to the 17% decline in foster care entries from …

Trust Development In Research With Indigenous Communities In The United States, Catherine E. Burnette, Sara Sanders

The Qualitative Report

A historical backdrop of oppression and exploitation has set the stage for distrust in research relationships with many indigenous communities. Although distrust poses a barrier to conducting research with indigenous communities, it also provides a distinct opportunity to examine factors related to trust development. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to understand the factors that relate to trust development in research relationships with indigenous communities in the United States. This qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of 13 indigenous and non-indigenous researchers working with indigenous communities. Historical oppression, risk and reputation, power balancing across multiple levels, reciprocity and benevolence, …

Advantages, Disadvantages, And Lessons Learned In Conducting Telephone Focus Groups To Discuss Biospecimen Research Concerns Of Individuals Genetically At Risk For Cancer, Alexis M. Koskan, Janique Rice, Clement K. Gwede, Cathy D. Meade, Ivana Sehovic, Gwendolyn P. Quinn

The Qualitative Report

Advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. This article reports our experiences using such technology to engage individuals genetically at risk for cancer about biospecimen research. Telephone-based focus groups were conducted with a total of 40 individuals, and participants were asked about their experiences and perceived benefits and limitations of participating in a telephone focus group about biospecimen research. The lessons learned can effectively be applied to other areas of health research. In particular, this method may be most useful to engage individuals who are less apt to speak in …

Chronic Illness And Disasters: Development Of A Theoretical Framework, Jacqueline K. Owens, Donna S. Martsolf

The Qualitative Report

In a disaster, individuals with chronic illnesses risk poor outcomes. This grounded theory study sought to develop a framework that describes how these individuals manage health-related challenges during disasters. The five phases of disaster response (non-disaster, pre-disaster, impact, emergency, reconstruction) and the individual, local, state, and federal level model served as conceptual frameworks. Using purposive sampling, 30 individuals with chronic illnesses and 10 lay caregivers were recruited from Florida and New Orleans. Data sources included interviews and media data. Constant comparative analysis techniques were used to build the theoretical framework. Transcript analysis suggested that participants used four unique ways to …

An Analysis Of Future Coaches’ Emerging Dispositions On Social Justice: The Wooden Effect, Brian Culp

Faculty Articles

This qualitative study explored the extent to which an archetype presented through a non-fiction text could impact aspiring coaches’ (AC’s) dispositions regarding social justice. Forty-three aspiring coaches at a Midwestern university enrolled in a foundations class that presented issues related to inequity were studied. Analysis of student journals indicated changes in AC’s philosophies regarding social justice, an appreciation for the perspectives of underrepresented groups and emergent critical perspectives when examining sport processes. Results of the study imply that a focus on democratic education and constructivism in coaching preparation programs may be of benefit. A means by which praxis of this …

Social Networks, Decision Aids, And Patient Decisions Regarding Knee-Replacement Surgery, Francis G. Caro, Susanne Hoffmann, Alison Gottlieb, Iris Kesternich, Joachim Winter

Gerontology Institute Publications

Objective: Examine how information from social networks is associated with patient decisions in the presence of information from multiple professional sources including decision aids.

Methods: We conducted a stated-choice experiment in which respondents made recommendations for hypothetical patients about whether full knee-replacement surgery should be performed to treat knee osteoarthritis. In addition, we administered a background questionnaire in which we explicitly asked respondents about the experience of people in their social network with knee osteoarthritis and possible treatment options. We examined the manner in which respondents’ recommendations for vignette persons were associated with the experiences of members of …

Guatemalan Ex-Combatant Perspectives On Reintegration: A Grounded Theory, Randall Janzen

The Qualitative Report

While reintegration programs for ex‐combatants have become a major focus of cease fire agreements, their success remains elusive. In this study, I interview members of Nuevo Horizonte, an intentional community comprised of Guatemalan ex‐guerrillas. These men and women reflect on two questions: what was reintegration like, and what advice do you have for other reintegrating ex-combatants. Using a grounded theory approach, common themes (such as being united) were developed and lead to a substantive theory of their transformative reintegration process. The collective voice of these ex‐ combatants challenges conventional reintegration programs by (a) challenging the demobilization prerogative showcasing how their …

Chinese Biology Teaching Assistants' Perception Of Their English Proficiency: An Exploratory Case Study, Xuan Jiang

The Qualitative Report

Many Chinese graduate students are teaching assistants (TAs) in mathematics, science and engineering departments in the U.S. universities. TAs’ English proficiency has been a subject of concern or even criticism for years in the U.S. However, only one research has been found around international TAs’ English proficiency per discipline. No research has been found about Chinese TAs’ English proficiency. None has been done on Chinese TA’s perception of their English proficiency in biology. With this gap noticed, I deployed interviews to explore what the three biology TAs perceived as to their English proficiency. The study found that their perception was …

Looking Through A Different Window: Chronic Disease Management In Public Health. Application Of Symbolic Interactionism And Institutional Ethnography, Yuliya Knyahnytska

The Qualitative Report

Chronic diseases are defined as illnesses that are prolonged, do not resolve spontaneously and are rarely cured. They constitute 46% of the global burden of diseases and are responsible for 59% of deaths in Canada, tallying billions of dollars in annual medical expenditures. Regardless of the variety of available treatments, a vast majority of patients with chronic conditions report they do not receive the care they need or expect. The efficacy of chronic disease management (CDM) has been proven effective for the general population; the focus of this paper, however, is around populations who are less responsive to mainstream behaviour …

Studying The Study: Reflections On Exploring The Health And Disability Narratives Of Long-Term Sickness Benefits Recipients In The Uk, Kayleigh Garthwaite

The Qualitative Report

Researching sensitive topics such as sickness and disability can encompass a wide range of demands that must be continually negotiated throughout the research process by both the researcher and research participants. Therefore, a studying the study approach is important when exploring the quality and ethical practice in qualitative research on sensitive issues with vulnerable populations. This becomes especially important within a UK context when considering the negative discourse surrounding the sickness benefits process in the UK. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with 25 long-term sick and disabled benefits recipients in the UK, the study sought to uncover the health and illness …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into The Life Experiences Of Unaccompanied Korean Adolescents In The United States, Tae-Sik Kim

The Qualitative Report

Recognizing the lack of comprehensive academic study concerning the life experiences of unaccompanied Korean adolescents overseas, this study inquired into many aspects of the daily life of the young sojourners. In order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of their living experiences, the present study set broad research questions: What do unaccompanied adolescents experience in host homes, schools, and communities in the United States? How do they build personal relationships with people in the United States? How do they deal with new experiences in different sociocultural environments? A total of 31 Korean students in Oklahoma City, Boston, and Dallas participated in …

Evolution Of A Background Check Policy In Higher Education, Gregory T. Owen

The Qualitative Report

This article is the first of a short series of works designed to articulate the results and research approach I utilized in my dissertation Analysis of Background Check Policy in Higher Education. Results of my literature review on this topic demonstrated that in the higher education environment, lack of agreement about background checks between campus community members, fueled by unresolved tensions between security and privacy, has led many universities to adopt a patchwork of fragmented background check policies. In response to these unresolved tensions, fragmented policies, and an overall lack of systematic studies of background check policy in higher education, …

A Methodological Framework For Projecting Brand Equity: Putting Back The Imaginary Into Brand Knowledge Structures, George Rossolatos

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this paper is to outline a methodological framework for Brand Equity planning with structuralist rhetorical semiotics. By drawing on the connectionist conceptual model of the brand generative trajectory of signification (Rossolatos 2013a, 2013g) it will be displayed in a step-wise fashion how a set of nuclear semes and classemes or an intended semic structure that underlies manifest discursive structures may be projected by its internal stakeholders (i.e., a brand management team, an account planning team or a marketing research team) with view to attaining differential brand associations. The suggested methodological framework focuses on the strength and uniqueness …

A Conversation Between Kip Jones And Patricia Leavy: Arts-Based Research, Performative Social Science And Working On The Margins, Kip Jones, Patricia Leavy

The Qualitative Report

This paper reports a conversation between international pioneers in ArtsBased Research and Performative Social Science, Patricia Leavy and Kip Jones. They begin by delineating the differences between research and/or dissemination that use tools from the Arts in their production. Leavy turns to her fiction writing as an example, while Jones discusses the making of his research-based short film, Rufus Stone. The conversation then turns to how these novel approaches have changed the way in which they work and these efforts in relation to the academy. The concept of “audience” is raised. Both then give examples of taking alternative routes in …

Experiences Of Therapists And Occupational Therapy Students Using Video Conferencing In Conduction Of Focus Groups, Theresa Marie Smith

The Qualitative Report

A paucity of literature exists on how to conduct an online focus group. The purpose of this study is to describe and learn from participants’ experiences in using virtual technology in a focus group conducted to refine a low vision assessment. Ten low vision therapists and five master’s level students participated. Two cycles of data collection and analysis occurred, one for focus group transcripts of therapists and another for student replies to a questionnaire. A case-by-case matrix was created and data sorted into three categories including: (1) benefits to using the technology; (2) challenges to using the technology; and (3) …

Exploring The Factors That Influence And Motivate Female Students To Enroll And Persist In Collegiate Stem Degree Programs: A Mixed Methods Study, Rosemary L. Edzie

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nationally, the need for an increase in interest, enrollment, and degrees awarded from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs continues to suffer. While students are enrolling in collegiate STEM degree programs, it is not occurring at a rate that meets the workforce demand. In addition to the concern that there is not a sufficient amount of collegiate STEM majors, there is a concern over too few females enrolling and persisting in collegiate STEM degree programs.

This mixed methods sequential exploratory research study considered the factors that influence and motivate undergraduate female students to enroll and persist in collegiate …

Textbook Considerations For An Mft Qualitative Research Phd Course: The Relevance Of Harding'squalitative Data Analysis From Start To Finish, Eric Dishongh

The Qualitative Report

Jamie Harding’s (2013) Qualitative Data Analysis from Start to Finish is a new, user-friendly book for beginning qualitative research students. The thrust of the book deals with analyzing qualitative data from interviews and focus groups. This reviewer considers the relevance of Harding’s book for a Qualitative Research course in an MFT doctoral program.

Does Size Matter In The Field?: Female Police Bodies In Online Television, Carmen M. Cusack

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to investigate how female officers’ body sizes are depicted on the TV show, “Police Women of Broward County.” Little literature examines the media’s depiction of bodies belonging to women who are involved in traditionally masculine professions. However, feminist and masculinist literature, along with biophysical literature, tends to suggest that women are smaller and weaker than men or are perceived that way in society. It stands to reason that media may portray female officers this way or portray women attempting to overcome this stigma personally and professionally to appeal to viewers or as a reflection …

Demands And Rewards Of Working Within Multidisciplinary Teams In Pediatric Oncology: The Experiences Of Canadian Health Care Providers, Sonia Gulati, David Dix, Anne Klassen

The Qualitative Report

Pediatric oncology care in Canada is delivered by multidisciplinary teams consisting of healthcare providers with different areas of expertise. Limited information is available on how the multidisciplinary team influences jobrelated rewards, demands, and stress in pediatric oncology. A qualitative approach was adopted to learn about healthcare providers’ experiences of working within a multidisciplinary team in pediatric oncology. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 healthcare providers (13 oncologists, 9 nurses, 5 social workers, and 6 child-life specialists) from four pediatric oncology centres. Topics explored included: demands and rewards associated with how the multidisciplinary team worked; description of one’s area of expertise; …

From Quackery To Control: Perceptions Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine From Users With Mental Health Disorders, Rachael Welsh Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is an investigation into why people with depression and anxiety use complementary and alternative medicines at higher rates than the general population. The study examines perceptions of mental illness and meanings assigned to depression and anxiety, others’ perceptions of mental illness, and experiences with conventional medicine. All participants were using complementary and alternative medicine at the time of the study; their reasons for CAM use as well as how CAM affected perceptions of their illness were main research questions. I conducted three focus groups with individuals diagnosed with depression who were using complementary and alternative medicine as forms …

A Study Of The Thematic Content And Formal Elements Of A Free Choice Drawing Created By Older Adults Diagnosed With Alzheimer’S Disease: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Kelly Rose Spessard

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the themes in the Free Choice Drawings (FCD) created by13 older adults with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The Mini-Cog was used as the instrument to identify cognitive impairment in the participants. All participants were scored as positive for cognitive impairment according to the scoring instructions for the Mini-Cog. The FCD followed the Mini-Cog. Of the 13 participants, eight attempted the FCD and five left their paper blank. The FCD was rated using a modified version of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS). Scales included, Prominence of Color, Color …

From The Analysis Of Argumentation To The Generation Of Typologies: A Model Of Qualitative Data Analysis, Aldo Merlino

The Qualitative Report

In this paper we present a model of qualitative data analysis developed through an example from an empirical study that focused on analyzing the causes of why people obey or disobey traffic rules. Specifically, we focus on the study of the arguments that people use to justify their behaviors regarding such rules. The study was developed from in-depth interviews with men and women between the ages of 18 and60, who drive cars or motorcycles. The model is organized into three stages that are applied to the empirical study. In the first stage we form the research question and objectives. In …

Racial And Ethnic Diversity In Grounded Theory Research, Claire Burke Draucker, Halima Al-Khattab, Dana D. Hines, Jill Mazurczyk, Anne C. Russell, Pam Shockey Stephenson, Shannon Draucker

The Qualitative Report

National initiatives in the United States call for health research that addresses racial/ethnic disparities. Although grounded theory (GT) research has the potential to contribute much to the understanding of the health experiences of people of color, the extent to which it has contributed to health disparities research is unclear. In this article we describe a project in which we reviewed 44 GT studies published in Qualitative Health Research within the last five years. Using a framework proposed by Green, Creswell, Shope, and Clark (2007), we categorized the studies at one of four levels based on the status and significance afforded …

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: The Construction Of Othering In Edward Bliss Emerson's Caribbean Journal Of 1831-1832, Alma Simounet

The Qualitative Report

This paper examines the vocabulary, grammar structures and rhetorical devices that appear in Edward Emerson’s journal based on his trip to the Caribbean. The end-in-view is to identify the devices that Emerson utilized, mostly unconsciously, in his depiction and construction of others; in the case of this journal, of the peoples he encountered in the Caribbean. The methodological approach of critical discourse analysis guides this examination.

Nature Writing, American Exceptionalism, And Philosophical Thoughts In Edward Bliss Emerson's Caribbean Journal, Raúl Mayo-Santana

The Qualitative Report

Through the use of qualitative content analysis (Patton, 2002), this essay examines the philosophical thoughts presented in the journal and family letters of Edward B. Emerson for 1831-1834, written in the Caribbean while he was seeking relief from consumption (tuberculosis). The analysis focused on the themes of nature writing, American Exceptionalism, and the journal as evidence of a liminal life-death event. Edward was actively engaged in the genres of travel and nature writing, where Transcendentalist ideas were not evident. In contrast, important elements of that movement emerged in his philosophical expressions. Edward evinced an acute and creative mind until the …

Challenges & Strategies For Conducting Qualitative Research With Persons Diagnosed With Rare Movement Disorders, Kori A. Ladonna, Michael J. Ravenek

The Qualitative Report

Unique features of Huntington’s disease and young-onset Parkinson’s disease, both neurodegenerative movement disorders, can pose challenges for conducting qualitative research. From the perspectives of two doctoral candidates conducting research with these groups, a number of challenges are presented and discussed alongside strategies for managing such challenges. Challenges are organized according to physical (e.g., movement), psychological (e.g., cognition) and social (e.g., speech impairment) aspects of these diseases. The strategies presented emphasize the importance of ethical reasoning in situations that can arise, as well as the relationships developed with the research participants. Author transparency and ethical reasoning are both important in conducting …