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This article examines the influence that digital life stories (DLS) can have on cancer research, using the PARCA1 project as an example. After describing the theoretical framework of DLS, we present the PARCA1 project. The PARCA1 project was anchored in the French context (Grand Est region) and aimed at producing knowledge on patients' experience of the cancer pathway through DLS. It involved 10 patients chosen to favor heterogeneity in profiles and experiences of illness. The paper describes the digital tool and the life stories methodology used to accompany the DLS. Next, it presents the methods and strategies used by participants to complete their DLS and the relationship between people with cancer and the accompanying researcher. Following this, we present (1) the impact of DLS on people with cancer, i.e., their progressive engagement in research, and (2) the impact on research, i.e., the methodological impact of people with cancer on research. In the discussion and conclusion, we explore how DLS can impact individuals who engage in them and their role in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Letter writing was used as a qualitative research strategy to access the narratives of individuals living in rural poverty. Undergraduate social work students in a freshman seminar course were paired with participants of a local agency to engage in a letter writing exchange about life experiences. Community members who volunteered to participate in the letter-writing exchange were identified via their participation in services offered by a local, community-based agency that is situated in a rural community. In the fall of 2018, a sample of 20 community members and 28 students participated in two rounds of letter exchange. Findings: The letter-writing exchange was an effective way to collect data. The content of the letters enhanced students' understanding of the daily experiences of individuals living in rural poverty. Data collected demonstrated that social isolation remains a central concern among poor, rural residents. Letter writing supported a sense of personal connection between students and community members; these social connections may have attenuated the pain of social isolation that many community members experience. Applications: Narrative inquiry and the use of letter writing as a research methodology allowed us access to greater understanding about the lived experience of rural poverty. People living in rural poverty experience a layered isolation that keeps them separate from resources and each other. Letter writing provided connection and rich data that enhanced our understanding of this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including South Africa, are currently experiencing multiple epidemics: HIV and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), leading to different patterns of multimorbidity (the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions) than experienced in high income settings. These adversely affect health outcomes, increase patients' perceived burden of treatment, and impact the workload of self-management. This paper outlines the methods used in a qualitative study exploring burden of treatment among people living with HIV/NCD multimorbidity in South Africa. Methods: We undertook a comparative qualitative study to examine the interaction between individuals' treatment burden (self-management workload) and their capacity to take on this workload, using the dual lenses of Burden of Treatment Theory (BoTT) and Cumulative Complexity Model (CuCoM) to aid conceptualisation of the data. We interviewed 30 people with multimorbidity and 16 carers in rural Eastern Cape and urban Cape Town between February-April 2021. Data was analysed through framework analysis. Findings: This paper discusses the methodological procedures considered when conducting qualitative research among people with multimorbidity in low-income settings in South Africa. We highlight the decisions made when developing the research design, recruiting participants, and selecting field-sites. We also explore data analysis processes and reflect on the positionality of the research project and researchers. Conclusion: This paper illustrates the decision-making processes conducting this qualitative research and may be helpful in informing future research aiming to qualitatively investigate treatment burden among patients in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes diary studies as a methodological choice for addressing crucial questions in qualitative process research. Diary studies unearth within-individual relationships that capture individual experiences and sense-making of these experiences in a processual manner. Therefore, using diary studies not only addresses the need for more dynamic methodological designs in qualitative research, but is advantageous for providing a process view of how the individual engages with the constructs studied. While process-studies, studied longitudinally, are often fraught with challenges of attrition or disengagement, this paper discusses how a methodological choice which is perceived as being beneficial by the participant can sustain engagement and consequently, research rigour. On one hand, a comparison of interview and diary data from the same participants show evidence of memory decay in interviews and reinforce the rigour of diary studies in the study of processual phenomenon. On the other hand, this study also showcases how researcher know-how, unintentionally imparted through reflective and processual questions asked in the study positively impacts the participants, and when reflected on, enhanced learning. This paper therefore demonstrates the ability of a research method to benefit both the research and the researched, and suggests a step-by-step design to implement a rigorous and impactful diary study using user-friendly forms and reflective questioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented to emphasis that the Journal of Management is open to publishing qualitative research. The editorial presents an overview to the editorial review process at the journal for qualitative research which includes a conventional option or the Special Call that allows for a feedback process between the authors and the editors.

Background: Reflexive thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative research published in Palliative Medicine, and in the broader field of health research. However, this approach is often not used well. Common problems in published reflexive thematic analysis in general include assuming thematic analysis is a singular approach, rather than a family of methods, confusing themes and topics, and treating and reporting reflexive thematic analysis as if it is atheoretical. Purpose: We reviewed 20 papers published in Palliative Medicine between 2014 and 2022 that cited Braun and Clarke, identified using the search term 'thematic analysis' and the default 'relevance' setting on the journal webpage. The aim of the review was to identify common problems and instances of good practice. Problems centred around a lack of methodological coherence, and a lack of reflexive openness, clarity and detail in reporting. We considered contributors to these common problems, including the use of reporting checklists that are not coherent with the values of reflexive thematic analysis. To support qualitative researchers in producing coherent and reflexively open reports of reflexive thematic analysis we have developed the Reflexive Thematic Analysis Reporting Guidelines (the RTARG; in Supplemental Materials) informed by this review, other reviews we have done and our values and experience as qualitative researchers. The RTARG is also intended for use by peer reviewers to encourage methodologically coherent reviewing. Key learning points: Methodological incoherence and a lack of transparency are common problems in reflexive thematic analysis research published in Palliative Medicine. Coherence can be facilitated by researchers and reviewers striving to be knowing – thoughtful, deliberative, reflexive and theoretically aware – practitioners and appraisers of reflexive thematic analysis and developing an understanding of the diversity within the thematic analysis family of methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisits the case of Canaan – a massive informal settlement that emerged in the wake of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti – in order to examine the often-forgotten aftermath of international aid programming in an urban, fragile-state context. Originally categorized as an (informal) internal displacement site, Canaan continued to expand in the years following the quake, reaching an estimated population of 300,000 by 2016. Using a qualitative case study of Canaan conducted nearly 15 years after its creation, the paper makes two interrelated arguments: first, that the ways in which the United Nations' "durable solutions" framework is frequently understood and applied may be unrealistic and even deleterious for state–society relations in some fragile urban contexts. Second, even calls to shift (urban) internal displacement programming to a more development footing is far from a panacea if these interventions are not designed to be more politically nuanced, context-sensitive and modest about what can be achieved in such complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a reflective account of delivering art workshops in women's prisons in England, as one method in a larger, qualitative study around the role of food in prisons. We present reflections around the role of art workshops in building relationships and community between the researcher and the participants, and the participants themselves. We found that building connection through art workshops, in a hostile and challenging environment like prison, enabled us to gather richer and deeper data during the qualitive interviews that succeeded the art workshops. We propose that attention from researchers to the 'unintended consequences' can contribute to research projects which are impactful for both the participants and researchers. This paper addresses gaps in literature around the use of visual art as method in women's prisons and the role of arts-based methods in larger qualitative research projects in secure settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technology can be a source of great optimism and a force for positive change in the research industry. As such, it is important to discuss the merits of emerging technology. In this research note, the emergent opportunity for qualitative research in the metaverse is discussed. This paper looks at how rich sensory virtual environments with multiple sensory modalities might help address some of the shortcomings of traditional online qualitative research. The importance of establishing social presence in virtual qualitative research is addressed. Then, how the metaverse might help remove some of the constraints of 'big qual' is debated. The potential for the metaverse to improve participant inclusivity is considered, before finally discussing the issue of research ethics in a decentralised virtual world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being subject to criticism, qualitative research methodology remains a unique and valuable approach in collecting rich and informative data. However, this may vary from one context to another and researchers understanding of the context. Grounded on the decolonization notion of qualitative research, this paper explains leeways and obstacles in conducting research, reflecting upon the procedural and practical aspects that represent the reality in Tanzania based on two cases. Our paper emphasizes that it is essential to understand and capture the real-world reflective of the voices of the population whom the study targets, which may be easier for local/native researchers. This is because the local/native researchers may be able to explain the research processes and findings in consideration of the socio-cultural settings and political environment. The paper acknowledges that qualitative research requires patience and time, which may have financial implications. It also acknowledges that some populations are facing research fatigue exacerbated by inadequate research dissemination plans. Understanding the context of the study area or topic and applying appropriate methodological approaches to overcome obstacles and gather required adequate and relevant information is thus of importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an analysis of qualitative research papers published between 2019 and 2021 in four top-tier management journals, we outline three interrelated silences that play a role in the objectification of qualitative research: silencing of noninterview data, silencing the researcher, and silencing context. Our analysis unpacks six silencing moves: creating a hierarchy of data, marginalizing noninterview data, downplaying researcher subjectivity, weakening the value of researcher interpretation, thin description, and backgrounding context. We suggest how researchers might resist the objectification of qualitative research and regain its original promise in developing more impactful and interesting theories: noninterview data can be unsilenced by democratizing data sources and utilizing nonverbal data, the researcher can be unsilenced by leveraging engagement and crafting interpretations, and finally, context can be unsilenced by foregrounding context as an interpretative lens and contextualizing the researcher, the researched, and the research project. Overall, we contribute to current understandings of the objectification of qualitative research by both unpacking particular moves that play a role in it and delineating specific practices that help researchers embrace subjectivity and engage in inspired theorizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of "community-engaged research" (CEnR) within the context of Veteran health care delivery and reintegration programs. A multi-sector expert panel (msExP) was formed to evaluate and make recommendations on Veteran community reintegration research and programs. The panel consisted of Veterans, care partners, clinical providers, researchers, community stakeholders, and subject matter experts. The paper examines the composition and lifecycle of the panel, highlighting the characteristics and experiences of the participants. Shifts in the panel's purpose and engagement levels occurred in response to unanticipated disruptions, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. The transformation of the panel emphasizes the importance of aligning individual and group needs and deepening intrapersonal relationships Findings based on observations, surveys, and interviews with panel members contribute to the field of community-engaged research by demonstrating the utility of catalytic validity that balances group and individual development. As part of a broader study on Veteran reintegration, the panel and its development over time allowed for various perspectives on Veteran experiences and reintegration within the community that shaped the overall project. Despite the challenges of developing and maintaining a panel alongside a research study, feedback from the panel members on their participation provides insight into the potential for future working alliances in community-engaged health research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a personal reflection on methodological issues in terms of data collection and analysis using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore ethnic minority (Mongol-Chinese) students' multilingual lived experience and their identity construction in language learning and practice. IPA, as a contemporary qualitative methodology, has developed quickly in psychology and other fields of social science, but it gets limited attention and practice in investigating how ethnic minority students negotiate their identities in multilingual education. Mongol-Chinese speakers as the target participants were interviewed online to share their subjective language learning experiences and perspectives on identity construction and negotiation. By reflecting on my doctoral journey in data collection and analysis, this paper aims to share my personal experience (concerns and solutions) in terms of the multilingual and ethical challenges that arise in this IPA project. It also intends to show the potential of IPA to explore students' language learning experiences and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across a range of disciplines, researchers are employing participatory approaches to better align studies with community needs. For example, a growing body of education scholarship has outlined the value of research-practice partnerships as venues for addressing urgent problems of practice. While such partnerships represent a promising strategy for advancing equity, effective collaboration across research and practice is complex to realize. In this paper, we examine data from two partnership projects to identify strategies for actualizing participatory qualitative methods. Collaborative analysis across our projects revealed possibilities related to three strands of qualitative partnership research: gaining and sustaining access to politically complex spaces, maintaining authentic reciprocity, and making meaning across data. Within each strand, we offer in-depth examples and considerations for researchers across a range of disciplines about how to foster partnerships that promote equitable transformation. As opposed to being prescriptive, we hope to spur reflection across participatory qualitative research teams and support shifts towards more imaginative and humanized methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Everyday aesthetics offers a way to disclose the complexity of a seemingly routine activity like doing the dishes. In this article, I consider the aesthetic allure of one 15-year-old's letters home from camp preserved in a university's archives. By returning aesthetics to experience, philosophical hermeneutics restores the experience of understanding to its multi-sensuous materialization. When things speak to us and we in turn respond to them, we are both transformed. Betty Kaufman's letters vividly depict her experiences at the Laurel Falls Camp for Girls. How, I wondered, does aesthetics perform its mode of being? What are its topological contours? What might qualitative researchers co-responding with archival materials gain from this form of entanglement with understanding? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative digital diary methods are a promising tool for capturing participants' experiences in their own words and over time. The use of smartphone apps to collect this kind of data provides an accessible and flexible way to participate in research, but to truly benefit from this method, participants needs and preferences must be taken into account. This paper explores participants' experiences of taking part in qualitative digital diary research, and highlights participants' values and priorities for qualitative digital diary mental health research. Participants from two qualitative digital diary studies provided feedback on their experiences, in the form of interviews and focus groups, and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The two participant groups, people with lived experience of eating disorders, and young people from diverse backgrounds across London schools, allowed exploration of experiences across different contexts and populations. The six resulting themes each reflect a core value that participants identified as an essential component for them in qualitative digital diary research: Self-expression, flexibility, non-judgement, open communication, helpful reflection, and meaningful impact. Themes each highlight aspects of participants' experiences that must be taken into account for future research to ensure that participants can take part in this type of research in ways that are meaningful to them, as well as most beneficial to the research. This paper provides an overview of participant experiences of qualitative digital diary research, and provides a framework for centring participant values and preferences in future qualitative diary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the process of undertaking qualitative research with incarcerated individuals and prison staff in selected Ghana prisons. The challenges encountered during the planning, approval, and fieldwork stages, as well as measures adopted to address these challenges, have been discussed. The paper aims to serve as a guide to novel prison researchers in the sub-Saharan African context, given that the majority of studies on challenges and approaches to conducting prison research have come from jurisdictions outside the region. To this end, given the unique nature of the prison governance system in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries, this paper contributes to filling a knowledge gap in qualitative prison research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we outline our qualitative protocol for the largest, independent, mixed-method, evaluation of the High Volume-Low Complexity Surgical Hubs programme in England – The MEASURE study. In addition to serving as a protocol paper, we outline the key methodological considerations and adaptations that are needed when designing big qualitative studies – complex (multi-site, multi-stakeholder), multi-method (e.g. interviews, observations, documents) qualitative research involving a large number of participations (n = 100+). This paper expands on our previous methodological work, where we used our experience of undertaking a big qualitative study as part of a mixed-method evaluation of a national emergency care-based initiative, to outline the methodological considerations and uncertainties for designing and analysing "big" qualitative studies. In this paper, we put these considerations into practice by providing a transparent account of our qualitative study design. The methodological reflections which we present are centred around the areas where we feel there is the most uncertainty for big qualitative research: study design, sampling (of case sites and stakeholders) and analysis. Underpinning this uncertainty are broader challenges which utilising this approach incite. Namely, that striving for both breadth (national-level insights) and depth (local variation and context), challenges paradigmatic norms and expectations and forces either methodological innovation, or the adaption of existing qualitative methods. We hope this paper provides transparency and insight into an area of qualitative research which has, potentially due to a perception of "safety in numbers" been inherently trusted and rarely scrutinised. Ultimately, we hope that by providing a transparent account of our study design and the challenges we have faced that we continue to encourage discussion and innovation in this evolving area of qualitative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws together critical learnings from diverse qualitative health research projects in Australia that sought to shift power and focus on the strengths and expertise of people with lived experience who are involved as co-researchers. These projects have included exploring and challenging identities, understanding experiences in treatment programs, critiquing and designing/re-designing services, and sharing experiences with the wider community in novel and innovative ways. Lived experiences included alcohol and other drug dependency, mental health, domestic, family or sexual violence, and living with HIV. This paper provides important learnings and actions about partnering with co-researchers with lived experience. In this paper we draw on a process of reflective discussions that occurred over six months with fortnightly online meetings between co-researchers, including co-authors with lived experience external to academia and university-based researchers, some of whom also have lived-experience that intersects with their research. From this, we distilled key learnings across seven themes: (1) the ethics of ethics, which highlights a need for constant reflection on the ethical issues in co-research; (2) recruiting co-researchers, which focuses on ensuring and integrating a diversity of voices; (3) creating safety for all, which must be a priority of engagement and support self-determination; (4) supporting different ways of partnering, which emphasises the need for diverse roles and ways to contribute on research teams; (5) capacity building and training, which requires ongoing evaluation of needs and tailored responses; (6) positioning, which highlights the need to transition from the idea of vulnerability to a strengths-based perspective of lived experience; and (7) power plays, reflecting the need to disrupt the dynamics and established hierarchies of privileging certain forms of knowledge and expertise. The paper includes recommendations for action against these seven themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding debates over researcher insider/outsider positionalities in the field of migration studies, many scholars have proposed various explanations. Some scholars studying migrant populations note that migrant scholars who share identities such as nationality, language, religion, race, ethnicity etc. with their study participants are usually perceived as insiders. Other scholars, however, contend that dynamics of insider/outsider positionalities are situationally shaped during researcher-participant interactions in fieldwork. There is now wide consensus among many scholars that shared social identities between researchers and study participants do not automatically position researchers as insiders. Drawing on secondary literature and my fieldwork encounters, this paper contributes to these debates by proposing typologies for migration researchers to use as analytical tools. The three typologies that map out insider/outsider dynamics during researcher-participant encounters in fieldwork are presuming ethnic insiderness/outsiderness, presuming national insiderness/outsiderness and the indeterminate fieldwork context. This paper argues that researchers' insider/outsider positionalities should not be viewed as pre-determined or fixed formations but as uncertain and situationally constituted. I further argue that migration researchers should not enter the fieldwork with an assumption of automatic insiderness or outsiderness but that they need to view their insider or outsider positionalities as emerging during encounters with research participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review offers insight into researcher well-being when working with sensitive and traumatic topics in a qualitative research context. The study identified existing empirical research concerning researcher well-being and mental health. The databases included SSCI, ASSIA < IBISS, Scopus, Social Policy and Practice, PsycInfo, Social Science Database/Social Science Premium Collection (Proquest), and Open Grey. An international search was conducted, with no time constraints on publication dates to gather as wide a selection as possible. 55 papers met the criteria. We found that the terminology used within the papers was not consistent which necessitated grouping the (self-) reflection/reflexive practices researchers used and categorizing them under the umbrella term SRR practices. The research questions were: 1. Which disciplines or fields are conducting SRR practices on sensitive topics? 2. What SRR practices do researchers employ in the context of sensitive research? 3. What were the self-reported outcomes from using SRR practices as a tool of researchers working on sensitive research? A key finding of the scoping review is that many researchers who work on sensitive topics feel unprepared and receive little or no training or support for SRR practices. This poses particular challenges for early career researchers. We also identified that qualitative researchers have developed a range of SRR practices to manage the emotional impact of their sensitive research work. Many authors of the scoped papers stress the importance of peer-support as well as formal and informal debriefing meetings. Another key SRR practice discussed by many researchers is reflexive journaling. Our scoping review suggests that if it is combined with other activities, self-reflexive journaling can be an excellent way to acknowledge and assess the emotional impact of sensitive research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper experiments with the use of literary analysis for the interpretation of participants' writing. The dataset comprises 56 'Reports' in response to a 2019 Mass Observation Directive. Mass Observation is a British archive. Its aim is to record everyday life through correspondents' responses to thrice-yearly Directives. The paper contributes to lyrical sociology with its development of 'textural' analysis. The 2019 Directive asked volunteers to submit reports on what was on their mantelpieces and also about their treasured objects. I found this writing highly allusive of two literary works: Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia, and the 'Catalogue of Ships' in Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, the Iliad. This led me not only to review the earlier reports but also to consider how literature can enrich the interpretation of participants' writing. In conclusion, I argue that following up allusive 'hunches' can result in fruitful literary analysis, as a 'textural' approach to sociological method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a rapid and low-intensity qualitative method that yields deep and rich insights into Generation Z and Millennials, who constitute the largest consumer group in history. This group favours frictionless digital solutions and their engagement with 'elaborate' qualitative techniques is unlikely, requiring researchers to marshal efficient technology-facilitated methods that render comparable insight. We assess the capacity of a 'simple' projective technique – online word association, accompanied by a few supporting questions – to offer as fine-grained insight into this consumer group against a more involved story stem completion method. The UK buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) context provides a complex novel market for this examination. Results suggest strong conceptual interconnection between the word association and the story stem completion task. Word associations generated similar resonance and tonality to that of the story stem but in a more compact manner, which liberates researchers and participants alike. The word association task focuses and delineates attention on a narrower set of words, not often done in the context of more traditional qualitative techniques, including story stem completion. Young consumers' vocabularies reveal their most salient perceptions of the phenomenon. The word association task also facilitates Generation Z and Millennials' active and positive online engagement, removing resistance and withdrawal from the research. This improves marketing response through immediacy, relevancy, and potency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine market-shaping literature that investigates how markets evolve over time. We focus on how controversial innovations gain acceptance as the result of the intentional strategies put into place by companies. We've carried a qualitative research based on secondary data collected from several online sources. Our study describes how a new packaging, can, had been introduced to the highly conservative market of wine in France. Our findings shed light on the opportunity for practitioners to implement controversial innovation in conservative markets and introduce a set of strategies to achieve such purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, on qualitative thematic analysis (QTA) in social change research, falls somewhere between a reflective piece and a how-to guide. Using two examples from my own previous research, I discuss why QTA in the field of social change or social justice, which often analyzes the words of vulnerable, marginalized, or underserved populations, is so fraught, so contested, and so often dismissed. Qualitative thematic analysis of interviews or focus groups is a common research tool used in the field, but the guidelines, scope, and practices of this tool are varied and ill-defined. I have witnessed in my students' papers and in peer reviewing for journals that there are a handful of assumptions and misconceptions that appear repeatedly, for example around intercoder reliability and frequency counting, that reduce the quality of analysis. This paper focuses on how to conduct QTAs that address social change: complex social problems faced by underserved populations, such as those dealing with poverty and inequality. By discussing the methods used in two of my own social change research projects, this paper offers a balanced method for both promoting rigor and understanding the limits and strengths of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to contribute to the carving [of] spaces that enable researchers to acompañar [walk with/accompany] a process of those that hold both ancient and cosmic knowledge carried across generations through oral traditions. Thus, it presents a pathway to a qualitative research methodology used to gather Indigenous Women's experiences of inclusion/exclusion in a country in South America. More specifically, the goal of this paper is to discuss art-based methods and círculos de conversación [talking circles] as data gathering while following principles of reciprocity, solidarity, mutual respect and complementarity. Implications such as researchers needing to reposition in relation to occidental ethical principles that necessitate us to be neutral are discussed last. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization Astana Declaration of 2018 sees primary healthcare as key to universal health coverage and gives further support to the goal of building sustainable models of community palliative care. Yet evaluating the benefits of such models continues to pose methodological and conceptual challenges. Objective: To explore evaluation issues associated with a community-based palliative care approach in Kerala, India. Design: An illuminative case study using a rapid evaluation methodology. Methodology: Qualitative interviews, documentary analysis and observations of home care and community organising. Results: We appraise a community palliative care programme in Kerala, India, using three linked 'canvases' of enquiry: (1) 'complex' multi-factorial community-based interventions and implications for evaluation; (2) 'axiological' orientations that foreground values in any evaluation process and (3) the status of evaluative evidence in postcolonial contexts. Three values underpinning the care process were significant: heterogeneity, voice and decentralisation. We identify 'objects of interest' related to first-, second- and third-order outcomes: (1) individuals and organisations; (2) unintended targets outside the core domain and (3) indirect, distal effects within and outside the domain. Conclusion: We show how evaluation of palliative care in complex community circumstances can be successfully accomplished when attending to the significance of community care values. Plain language summary: Where are the values in evaluating palliative care? Learning from community-based palliative care provision The evaluation of any intervention or service will inevitably involve a series of decisions on what we measure, what criteria we use to judge whether the intervention has been successful (or not), what type of data we actually collect and what methods we use to do this. When evaluating a range of palliative care interventions, we suggest that these decisions have often been taken in a concealed way and tend to favour relatively narrow quantitative measures linked to end outcomes. Our paper reports on the evaluation of a community-based palliative care intervention on Kerala, India. In it, we suggest that such complex work requires a broader approach to evaluation that: makes the values being used to assess success explicit; draws on a range of data types; is interested in delivery processes; and places the voices of participants at the heart of the assessment. The paper concludes with some broader observations on how these principles might be applied more widely within palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article adopts an embodiment lens to explore the individual leisure experiences of people living with dementia when engaging in nature-based pursuits. It focuses on how people living with dementia frame their everyday experiences of nature and how these are shaped by any cognitive challenges and/or other comorbidities affecting physical health. Design/methodology/approach: Taking a phenomenological research approach, we interviewed 15 people living with dementia and 15 family carers of people with dementia to explore how people with dementia engage with nature as a subjective leisure experience. We analysed their accounts using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings: The findings reveal how people living with dementia frame their experiences of nature-based pursuits through three interlinked themes of 'bodily feelings and emotions', 'sense of self and identity' and 'connectivity to others'. Originality/value: The paper contributes to knowledge by examining through the lens of embodiment a neglected and overlooked dimension of everyday leisure: how nature is encountered, negotiated and enjoyed. The paper illustrates how nature and the outdoors may help people living with dementia to continue to enjoy prior leisure pursuits and thus achieve a degree of continuity in their everyday lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to offer a comprehensive guide for novice researchers (mostly applicable to PhD students and those new to qualitative research), teachers, and reviewers of qualitative psychology research methods. This paper delineates the main quality criteria across qualitative methods: providing a holistic framework that covers fundamental principles as well as nuanced, context-specific guidelines relevant to a chosen qualitative approach. First, we demonstrate why this overview is needed, in part because of an increasing emphasis on finding sound ways of appraising qualitative studies, the lack of agreement on quality markers, and the variety of qualitative research methodologies available. Next, we present general criteria for quality across all qualitative methods, before setting out method specific criteria for four commonly used qualitative research approaches: Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Critical Discursive Psychology/Discursive Psychology (CDP/DP) and Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT). While the focus is on providing criteria specific to these methodological approaches, we also describe the broader philosophical foundations underpinning these approaches and other branches within these philosophies, recognising that methodological criteria can be contrasting and competing even within methodologies. The integration of general and approach-specific criteria cultivates a deeper understanding of both the philosophical underpinnings and practical intricacies of qualitative inquiry, empowering researchers to navigate the methodological landscape with critical acumen and intellectual humility. Finally, we compare the four methodologies in terms of key features and qualities they aim to achieve. The paper emphasizes that even though there are criteria that are common across the field, it is essential to maintain the specific stance of each individual methodological approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menstruators facing period poverty often struggle with menstrual hygiene and waste management, which can result in harmful short- and long-term health outcomes such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and vulvar contact dermatitis. Research indicates that 42% of menstruators in the United States have difficulty affording period products. Traditional methods of distributing period products through social services may unintentionally undermine menstruators' agency, leading to disempowerment and inefficient resource allocation. Period product pantries are a novel approach aimed at addressing period poverty, inequity, and inadequate menstrual health education in the United States. Objectives: This paper aims to examine the development, organization, and implementation of two distinct period product pantry networks in Ohio and New York. It seeks to compare the advantages and challenges of grassroots versus nonprofit-led models and to provide practical insights for future pantry operators. Design: The study examines two models of period product pantries: a grassroots effort led by three local residents in Ohio and an initiative spearheaded by a nonprofit organization in New York. The design includes a comparative analysis of both models' organization, funding methods, and operational structures. Methods: The authors gathered data on the construction, operation, and usage of two pantry networks, focusing on factors such as accessibility, community engagement, and sustainability. The study employed a combination of qualitative methods, including interviews with organizers, and a review of organizational documents to analyze the effectiveness and scalability of each model. Results: Both pantry networks increased accessibility to period products in low socioeconomic neighborhoods, which are disproportionately affected by period poverty. The grassroots model, while resource-limited, fostered strong community ties and local engagement. The nonprofit-led model benefited from dedicated staff and a more stable funding structure but faced bureaucratic challenges. Despite their differences, both models demonstrated the potential to empower menstruators by preserving their dignity and autonomy. Conclusions: Period product pantries represent an innovative and equitable approach to addressing period poverty and inequity. The analysis of the two models offers valuable insights for organizations and individuals interested in establishing similar initiatives. While each model has its unique benefits and challenges, both are effective in empowering menstruators and providing accessible menstrual hygiene products to those in need. Registration: Not applicable. Plain language summary: Fighting for menstrual equity through period product pantries Period product pantries are a new way to help people who can't afford period products and don't have enough education about menstrual health in the U.S. Many people who experience period poverty, or trouble getting products like pads and tampons, also face barriers to staying clean and managing period waste. This can cause health issues like infections. About 42% of people who get periods in the U.S. say they've had trouble paying for these products. Period product pantries are different from older methods of getting free products, like through social services, because they let people get what they need without feeling embarrassed or losing their sense of control. This paper looks at two types of period pantries: one started by three local people in Ohio and another run by a nonprofit group in New York. Both help people in neighborhoods where it's hard to afford period products. The paper talks about how these pantries were set up, how they are funded, and what worked well or didn't. The goal is to show how these pantries can be a good, fair way to help people while giving advice to others who might want to start their own pantries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic adults are at increased risk of both mental and physical health difficulties, and yet can face barriers to accessing healthcare. A meta-ethnographic approach was used to conduct a review of the existing literature regarding autistic adults' experiences of accessing healthcare. Four databases were systematically searched for qualitative and mixed-method studies reporting on the experiences of autistic adults without a co-occurring learning disability accessing adult healthcare services within the United Kingdom. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, and seven steps were used to systematically extract the data and then generate novel themes. Three superordinate themes were identified: Professionals' lack of knowledge can be damaging, Need to reduce processing demands and Adaptation to improve engagement. This review highlights the wide-reaching damaging impact misdiagnosis, inadequate or inappropriate treatment, overwhelming environments and inaccessible systems can have on the well-being and ability of autistic adults to engage with treatment. The lack of autism knowledge and understanding experienced in interactions with healthcare professionals, along with autistic adult's own communication and sensory processing differences, demonstrates the need for widely delivered training co-produced with autistic adults alongside bespoke and person-centred adaptations. Autistic adults are more likely to experience mental and physical health difficulties, and yet can find it difficult to get the support that they need. A meta-ethnographic approach was used to review the existing research on autistic adults' experiences of accessing healthcare. Four databases were searched for qualitative and mixed-method studies which looked at the experiences of autistic adults who did not also have a learning disability when using healthcare services in the United Kingdom. Fifteen papers met the criteria to be included, and seven steps were used to analyse the information and develop new themes. Three main themes were identified: Professionals' lack of knowledge can be damaging, Need to reduce processing demands and Adaptation to improve engagement. This review highlights how damaging misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment, overwhelming environments and systems that are difficult to access can have on the well-being of autistic adults. Limited knowledge and understanding about autism knowledge among healthcare professionals along with autistic adult's own communication and sensory differences indicate that there is a need for improved training developed with autistic adults and adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many disabled people, violence can become an unwanted, yet ordinary part of everyday life. Often, these crimes are attributed to understandings of disabled people as vulnerable and largely, passive victims. Attending to the aims of this special issue, this paper aims to dismantle these stereotypes and attend to the unique ways that disabled people can resist and respond to hate crime through creative and collaborative research practices. Building upon this, I argue that there is a pressing need for hate studies researchers to work "with" and not "on" those who have experienced targeted violence. Working in this way builds upon long-standing efforts of disabled activists and disabilities studies researchers to challenge reductive research practices by working in more collective and inclusive ways. To demonstrate this, I reflect upon a project working in partnership with disabled people to create a disability hate crime toolkit. The toolkit, now published, shares accessible and informative resources that can be used to raise awareness about disability hate crime. While the focus of this paper is disability, I consider methods of collaboration, co-production and participation that can be drawn upon by researchers to respond to hate crime and interpersonal violence more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content analysis, initially a quantitative technique for identifying patterns in qualitative data, has evolved into a widely used qualitative method. However, this evolution has resulted in a confusing array of differing qualitative content analysis approaches that lack clear distinction from other methods. To address these issues, this paper introduces reflexive content analysis, a transtheoretical and flexible researcher-oriented method for the description and reduction of manifest qualitative data. RCA is used to identify patterns in the overt surface meanings of qualitative data through the use of a hierarchical structure of quantifiable analytical strata called codes, subcategories, and categories. Each stratum exists on a continuum of abstraction with codes being the closest to the original data and categories being the most abstract. During each stage of the RCA process, reflexivity is regarded as a valuable analytical resource that is crucial for ensuring adequate description of the data. RCA is intended to be used as method for data analysis, not a methodology, and therefore can be integrated with various methodological and epistemological approaches. This paper provides an introductory guide to conducting RCA. It first presents an overview of existing challenges in qualitative content analysis methods, followed by a rationale for the development of RCA. Then, the foundational principles of RCA and key concepts that support this method are discussed. The paper culminates by outlining the process for conducting an inductive RCA within a qualitative framework, using a previous application of this method as a reference point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we critically reflect on the methodological challenges encountered during a qualitative research project that examined the effectiveness of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). We draw on Lewis and Mehmet's (2021) approach that combines aspects of autoethnography and reflexivity to focus on three key areas, inclusive research, informed consent, and recruitment, which we have considered in terms of mistrust and the roles of the gatekeeper. This paper contributes to our understanding of researching vulnerable and marginalised populations and highlights learnings for marketers as they seek to identify how to adequately capture the voices of the often voiceless. Key implications include acknowledging vulnerability as a multi-dimensional concept, adopting a continual reflective approach, selecting appropriate channels of communication, and considering team dynamics before and during research implementation. By showcasing our learning experiences, we guide other market researchers who are interested in exploring similarly marginalised or vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines my experience as an early career researcher engaging with my power and privilege embedded in my white, English-speaking identity while working with Mexican American male-identifying research participants. Utilizing critical race theory as a framework, this paper chronicles my reflections on un/hooking from whiteness within the context of scholarly inquiry. Specifically, I draw inspiration from a qualitative research project to anchor the discussion of privileged epistemologies and power structures embedded in the inquiry process and academia more broadly, and how race can intersect with how we negotiate our roles, methods, and subjectivities as qualitative scholars. More broadly, this paper explores notions of knowledge and agency in educational inquiry against the question of whose stories are told, how, for whom, and by whom. This paper contributes to the conversation and efforts toward disentangling from whiteness and the epistemologies around which research, higher education, and society are structured to instead magnify the voices and experiences of participants through more egalitarian inquiry practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bereavement and mourning are arguably one of the research interests of psychologists, psychoanalysts, and psychiatrists since Freud's publication of Mourning and Melancholia. This paper is a qualitative case study that sought to examine the mourning experience of the participant from childhood until his adolescence. For theoretical foundation, the four tasks of mourning primarily developed by James Worden was utilized for the proper direction of the research inquiry; namely: a.) accepting the reality of death; b.) experiencing the feeling of grief; c.) adjusting and creating new meanings in the post-loss world; and d.) reconfiguring the bond with the lost person. The paper finds that the participant's cognitive attitude, emotional experiences, and personal observations of the environment enable him to overcome actively (in an overlapping manner) the three tasks of mourning. However, the failure to find an enduring connection with his deceased parents is not a result of strong attachment but with the absence of personal belief about the meta-existence of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thematic analysis is a highly popular technique among qualitative researchers for analyzing qualitative data, which usually comprises thick descriptive data. However, the application and use of thematic analysis has also involved complications due to confusion regarding the final outcome's presentation as a conceptual model. This paper develops a systematic thematic analysis process for creating a conceptual model from qualitative research findings. It explores the adaptability of the proposed process across various research methodologies, including constructivist methodologies, positivist methodologies, grounded theory, and interpretive phenomenology, and justifies their application. The paper distinguishes between inductive and deductive coding approaches and emphasizes the merits of each. It suggests that the derived systematic thematic analysis model is valuable across multiple disciplines, particularly in grounded theory, ethnographic approaches, and narrative approaches, while also being adaptable to more descriptive, positivist-based methodologies. By providing a methodological roadmap, this study enhances the rigor and replicability of thematic analysis and offers a comprehensive strategy for theoretical conceptualization in qualitative research. The contribution of this paper is a systematic six-step thematic analysis process that leads to the development of a conceptual model; each step is described in detail and examples are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are plenty of books and articles on research methods, but few discuss the nature and purpose of method sections in academic journals. Based on interviews with critical and interpretivist researchers, this short paper examines the nature and purpose of method sections in management and organization studies. We show how researchers make sense of, and struggle with, positivist expectations about the form and content of method sections. Ultimately, we call for greater openness about what method sections might look like and ask whether all academic articles need method sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other large language models are rapidly infiltrating the world of education and educational research. These new technological developments raise questions about use and ethics throughout the world of educational research, particularly for qualitative methods given the philosophical and structural foundations of its associated designs. This paper seeks to interrogate the perceived ethics around the use of AI in qualitative research and draws on survey data from qualitative researchers (n = 101) collected from April-May 2023. Findings indicate that researchers were more apt to embrace the use of AI for transcription purposes, and to a lesser extent for preliminary coding. Researchers from high research productivity (R1) universities were generally less accepting of AI's use in the research process than other researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Images and texts, their qualities as empirical data, and their entanglements, have been the object of methodological and theoretical debates in social scientific research for a few decades now. Scholars have argued that images and texts are fundamentally different to the point of being incommensurable. Contrary to this line of reasoning, this paper suggests that images and texts are similar enough to be studied within the same framework, that of semiotics, understood as a non-reductive approach to the socio-cultural making of aesthetics, performances, and meanings in multi-media arrangements. Unfolding this argument, I do not suggest that 'images are like texts,' but instead propose that 'texts are like images.' Doing so, I discuss a few of the most frequently assumed properties of images, and how these may apply to texts. As such, this article sets the theoretical perimeters for more specific methodical approaches in social scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative research methods have treated Western knowledge systems and Indigenous studies as polar opposites with asymmetrical power relations. Studies have documented the hegemonic dominance of Western science over Indigenous knowledge systems. Despite this tension, there is an opportunity to integrate Western science with Indigenous knowledges to bridge these discordant systems. This paper argues that Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT), a Western-based version of grounded theory can be weaved with Indigenous research. CGT's emphasis on co-construction, relationality, value-free inquiry, and social justice align with Indigenous research principles. Using examples from both CGT and Indigenous scholarship, the paper argues that CGT with its pragmatist and constructivist orientation can exist alongside an Indigenous research agenda. Furthermore, the flexible, emergent, and relativist nature of CGT aligns with some aspects of Indigenous research. The paper demonstrates that both knowledge systems can be treated on an equal par, engender methodological reciprocity and provide mutual benefits to each other. Weaving CGT and Indigenous research might provide new avenues of thinking about doing research with Indigenous communities and other marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Open Science' advocates for open access to scientific research, as well as sharing data, analysis plans and code in order to enable replication of results. However, these requirements typically fail to account for methodological differences between quantitative and qualitative research, and serious ethical problems are raised by the suggestion that full qualitative datasets can or should be published alongside qualitative research papers. Aside from important ethical concerns, the idea of sharing qualitative data in order to enable replication is conceptually at odds with the underpinnings on most qualitative methodologies, which highlight the importance of the unique interpretative function of the researcher. The question of whether secondary analysis of qualitative data is acceptable is key, and in this commentary we argue that there are good conceptual, ethical and economic reasons to consider how funders, researchers and publishers can make better use of existing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) was developed to support the use of evidence from qualitative reviews within policy- and decision-making. To date, the approach has been applied predominantly to aggregative synthesis methodologies and descriptive review findings. GRADE-CERQual guidance recommends the approach be tested on more diverse review methodologies and outputs to support its evolution. This paper contributes to this evolution by reflecting on our experiences of applying GRADE-CERQual to findings that emerged from a recent Cochrane meta-ethnography on childhood vaccination. Specifically, we describe the similarities and differences, challenges and dilemmas we experienced applying the approach to more interpretive versus more descriptive review findings. We found that we were able to apply the core criteria and principles of GRADE-CERQual in ways that were congruent with the methodologies and epistemologies of a meta-ethnography and its findings. We also found that the practical application processes were similar across review finding types. The main differences related to the level of demand placed on the evidence and the level of complexity involved with the decisions. Compared to more descriptive findings, more interpretive findings required evidence that was richer, thicker, more contextually situated and methodologically stronger for us to have the same level of confidence in them. Making the assessments for these findings also involved more complicated forms of judgement. We provide practical examples to illustrate these complexities and how we approached them, which others applying GRADE-CERQual to more interpretive review findings could draw upon. We also highlight areas requiring further discussion, in the hope that this will offer a platform for engagement and the potential future refinement of the approach. Ultimately, this could enhance the usability of GRADE-CERQual for a larger range of qualitative review findings and in turn expand the kinds of knowledges that count within decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As previous research has observed, medical students and physicians alike confront vast amounts of knowledge in their education and practice, such that no one clinician can know everything there is to know about biomedicine. Even before clerkships, medical students learn to cope with this impossibility by prioritizing certain information based on its perceived utility for exams and clinical practice. Many factors can shape this process, including teamwork, wherein individual medical students rely on one another to address gaps in knowledge at the level of the group. This paper will draw on qualitative data from two allopathic medical schools in the American Midwest to demonstrate that peer-to-peer learning, a widely utilized pedagogical modality in North American medical schools, is amongst the earliest places where future physicians learn how to rely on their peers in the profession as they make choices about what to know and what not to know about biomedicine: cultivating a culture of "intraprofessionalism" between students with different knowledges and values, as they prepare to enter the same profession. The paper will also consider how differences in the student populations at two field sites impact intraprofessional development. Drawing on scholarship of peer-based learning strategies and the sociology and anthropology of medical education, the authors argue that peer-to-peer learning is a key site in the professional socialization of medical students toward the effective management of medical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant bowel obstruction occurs in up to 50% of people with advanced ovarian and 15% of people with gastrointestinal cancers. Evaluation and comparison of interventions to manage symptoms are hampered by inconsistent evaluations of efficacy and lack of agreed core outcomes. The patient perspective is rarely incorporated. Aim: To synthesise the qualitative data regarding patient, caregiver and healthcare professionals' views and experience of malignant bowel obstruction to inform the development of a core outcome set for the evaluation of malignant bowel obstruction. Design: A qualitative systematic review was conducted, with narrative synthesis. The review protocol was registered prospectively (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, CRD42020176393). Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Scopus databases were searched for studies published between 2010 and 2021. Reference lists were screened for further relevant publications, and citation tracking was performed. Results: Nine papers were included, reporting on seven studies which described the views and experiences of malignant bowel obstruction through the perspectives of 75 patients, 13 caregivers and 62 healthcare professionals. Themes across the papers included symptom burden, diverse experiences of interventions, impact on patient quality of life, implications and trajectory of malignant bowel obstruction, mixed experience of communication and the importance of realistic goals of care. Conclusion: Some of the most devastating sequelae of malignant bowel obstruction, such as pain and psychological distress, are not included routinely in its clinical or research evaluation. These data will contribute to a wider body of work to ensure the patient and caregiver perspective is recognised in the development of a core outcome set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Carol Bacchi's 'What's the problem represented to be?' (WPR) framework to explore representations of women's mental health in federal and South Australian mental health policies. It argues that mental health policies govern women through neoliberal discourses that individualise mental health and illness while neglecting the social structural factors which significantly influence mental health outcomes and health equity. In a 'self-monitoring' neoliberal society, people are increasingly required to seek medical and pharmaceutical intervention to promote ideal personhoods, with women overrepresented in this group. The disciplinary power of the medicalisation discourse categorises women as either ideal or failed neoliberal subjects. This is concerning for social workers because neoliberal and medicalisation discourses shape how women's mental health is represented in policy and responded to in practice. This paper challenges biomedical and neoliberal discourses underpinning policy representations and identifies the implications for social work and social policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current researches on modern calligraphy are mostly summaries of materials and contingency studies, lacking empirical studies. At the same time, the artistic characteristics of modern calligraphy require further clarification. Based on an analysis of the existing literature, this paper investigates the artistic characteristics of modern calligraphy practice through a qualitative research method, grounded theory, sorting out the constitutive dimensions of the artistic characteristics of modern calligraphy and establishing a theoretical model of the artistic characteristics of modern calligraphy. This study finds that the practice of modern calligraphy possesses six characteristics: diverse, cultural, social, expressive, design, and spiritual. The cross-media and multichannel artistic expression of modern calligraphy combine sociality and design, and the creative expression of modern calligraphy gives new connotations to the text, demonstrating the strong spiritual aspirations of contemporary people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]