Coherence between data gathering technique and data analysis method in qualitative studies. A research experience based on leukemia survivors’ narratives

Authors

  • Lucia Zannini
  • Maria Benedetta Gambacorti-Passerini

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1825-8670/5986

Keywords:

Data Analysis – Grounded Theory, Narrative Inquiry, Data Gathering, Illness Narratives, Qualitative Research

Abstract

Framed in the field of human sciences research, this paper is aimed at critically analyzing the issue of consistency between data gathering technique and data analysis method in qualitative research, starting from a study based on written narratives of patients who had suffered from leukemia, during their childhood/adolescence (Zannini et al., 2014). Even if we collected patients’ narratives, we did not choose Narrative Inquiry as research method, but we decided for a Grounded Theory study (Strauss & Corbin, 1990), a method that allow researchers to reconstruct the “theory”, which participants have developed on a certain phenomenon/process. The discussion of the paper is focused on the methodological issues, considering data analysis as a process that does not depend exclusively on data characteristics (i.e. narrative), but also on research questions and, consequently, on the selected research method.

References

Bailey, D. M., & Jackson, J. M. (2003). Qualitative data analysis: Challenges and dilemmas related to theory and method. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57, 57-65.

Bleakley, A. (2005). Stories as data, data as stories: making sense of narrative inquiry in clinical education. Medical Education, 39, 534-540.

Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Tr. It. (1992). La ricerca del significato. Torino: Bollati Boringhieri.

Clandinin, D. J. & Connelly, F. M., (2000). Narrative Inquiry. Experience and Story in Qualitative Research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (2006). Narrative Inquiry. In J. L Green, G. Camili & P. B. Elmore (Eds.), Handbook of Complementary Methods in Educational Research (pp. 477-487). Washington: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Demaziere, D. & Dubar, C. (1997). Dentro le storie. Analizzare le interviste biografiche. Milano: Cortina.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Dahlberg, K., H., Dahlberg, H., & Nyström, M. (2008). Reflective Lifeworld Research. Hungary: Student Litteratur.

Di Gallo, A., Amsler, F., Gwerder, & C., Burgin, D. (2003). The years after: a concept of the psychological integration of childhood cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 11, 666-73.

Entwistle, V., Tritter, J. Q., & Calnan, M. (2002). Researching experiences of cancer: the importance of methodology. European Journal of Cancer Care, 11, 232-237.

Frank, A. (1995). The Wounded Storyteller. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Fraser, H. (2004). Doing narrative research. Analysing personal stories line by line. Qualitative Social Work, 3(2), 179-201.

Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. I. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.

Hill, C. E., Knox, S., Thompson, B. J., Williams, E. N., Hess S. A., & Ladany, N. (2005). Consensual qualitative research, an update. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52 (2), 196-205.

Hurwitz, B., Greenhalgh, T. & Skultans, V. (Eds.) (2004). Narrative Research in Health and Illness. Oxford: Blackwell - BMJ Books.

Kelly, T., & Howie, L. (2007). Working with stories in nursing research: procedures used in narrative analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 16, 136-144.

Lau, U., & van Niekerk, A. (2011). Restoring the self: an exploration of young burn survivors’ narratives of resilience. Qualitative Health Research, 21 (9), 1165-1181.

Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills (CA): Sage.

Manning, P.K., & Cullum-Swan, B. (1994). Narrative, content and semiotic analysis. In Denzin, N.K., Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds). Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 463-478). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Masera, G., Jankovic, M., Adamoli, L., Corbetta, A., Fraschini, D., Lia, R., Collino, L., Locati, A., Pertici, S., Bissi, R., Bertolini, M., Verga, G., &Spinetta, J. J. (1997). The psychosocial program for childhood leukemia in Monza, Italy. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 17 (824), 210-220.

Masera, G., & Jankovic, M. (2008). Noi, ragazzi guariti. Milano: Ancora.

Masera, G., Chesler, M., Zebrack, B., & D’Angio, G. J. (2013). Cure is not enough – One slogan, two paradigms for pediatric oncology. Pediatric Blood and Cancer, E-pub ahead of publication.

Mishler, E. G. (1986). Research interviewing: Context and Narrative. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.

Mortari, L. (2005). Narrative inquiry e fenomenologia. Encyclopaideia, 17, 11-22.

Mortari, L. (2007). Cultura della ricerca e pedagogia. Prospettive epistemologiche. Roma: Carocci.

Murray, M. (2008). Narrative psychology. In J. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative Psychology. A Practical Guide to Research Methods (pp. 111-132). London: Sage Publications.

Polkinghorne, D. E. (1995). Narrative configuration in qualitative analysis. In J. A. Hatch & R. Wisniewski (Eds), Life History and Narrative (pp 5-23). London: The Falmer Press.

Richards, L., & Morse, J. M. (2007). Readme first for a User’s Guide to qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage. Tr. it. (2009). Fare ricerca qualitativa. Prima guida. Milano: Franco Angeli.

Riessman, C. K. (1990). Divorce Talk. Women and men make sense of personal relationship. New Brunswick, RI: Rutgers University Press.

Riessman, C.K. (1993). Narrative analysis. London: Sage pubblications.

Salander, P. (2002). Bad news from the patient perspective: an analysis of the written narratives of newly diagnosed cancer patients. Social Science and Medicine, 55, 721-32.

Salick, E. C. & Auerbach, C. F. (2006). From devastation to integration: adjusting to and growing from medical trauma. Qualitative Health Research, 16 (8), 1021-37.

Smith, J. (Ed.) (2008) Qualitative Psychology. A Practical Guide to Research Methods. London: Sage Publications.

Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (Eds.) (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Thousands Oaks: Sage.

Tarozzi, M. (2008), Che cos’è la grounded theory. Roma: Carocci.

Tedeschi, R. G., &Calhoun, L. G. (Eds.) (1995). Trauma and Trasformation; Growing in the Aftermath of Suffering. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Zannini, L., Cattaneo C., Jankovic M., & Masera, G. (2014). Surviving childhood leukemia in a Latin culture: an explorative study based on young adults’ written narratives. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 32(5), 576-601. doi: 10.1080/07347332.2014.936648.

Zebrack, B. J., Stuber, M. L., Meeske, K. A., Phipps, S., Krull, K. R., Liu, Q., & Zeltzer, L. K. (2012). Perceived positive impact of cancer among long-term survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study. Psycho-Oncology, 21 (6), 630-639.

Published

2016-02-15

How to Cite

Zannini, L., & Gambacorti-Passerini, M. B. (2016). Coherence between data gathering technique and data analysis method in qualitative studies. A research experience based on leukemia survivors’ narratives. Encyclopaideia, 20(44). https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1825-8670/5986

Issue

Section

Focus