Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad
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<strong>Qualitative</strong> research <strong>in</strong> practice<br />
Under Pressure: Mo<strong>the</strong>rs and Fa<strong>the</strong>rs with Learn<strong>in</strong>g Difficulties (1994a).<br />
Tim and Wendy have also reported on <strong>the</strong>ir use of <strong>in</strong>-depth <strong>in</strong>terview<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with parents with learn<strong>in</strong>g difficulties (Booth & Booth,<br />
1994b), on writ<strong>in</strong>g up narrative reports of <strong>in</strong>articulate research<br />
participants (Booth & Booth, 1996) and on ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g ongo<strong>in</strong>g<br />
relationships with research participants (Booth, 1998). They have<br />
subsequently conducted a study of children of people with learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
difficulties, published as Grow<strong>in</strong>g Up with Parents who have Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Difficulties (Booth & Booth, 1998).<br />
The study of parents was conducted <strong>in</strong> two stages. The first<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved unstructured <strong>in</strong>terviews with 33 parents, of whom 25 had<br />
learn<strong>in</strong>g difficulties, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g five couples where both parents had<br />
learn<strong>in</strong>g difficulties, focus<strong>in</strong>g specifically on experiences of parenthood.<br />
Six couples and one s<strong>in</strong>gle parent <strong>the</strong>n participated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
second stage, which <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>the</strong> compilation of <strong>in</strong>-depth accounts<br />
of <strong>the</strong>ir ongo<strong>in</strong>g situation as parents over <strong>the</strong> course of a year. The<br />
number of <strong>in</strong>terviews <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first stage ranged from one to six, and<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> second stage from n<strong>in</strong>e to twenty. Both stages also <strong>in</strong>volved<br />
numerous <strong>in</strong>formal contacts such as brief social calls, phone calls<br />
and trips and out<strong>in</strong>gs with parents. In each family, at least one<br />
parent had at some stage received services especially <strong>in</strong>tended for<br />
people with learn<strong>in</strong>g difficulties.<br />
In <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>in</strong>terview for this book, Tim and Wendy expanded on<br />
some of <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>the</strong>y have written about elsewhere. While we<br />
mostly rely on <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terview material, we have also <strong>in</strong>cluded some<br />
references to <strong>the</strong>ir published work.<br />
Realis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> need for a different approach<br />
Wendy:<br />
I always remember <strong>the</strong> very first <strong>in</strong>terview where I<br />
went <strong>in</strong> with <strong>the</strong> idea of how I had been tra<strong>in</strong>ed to do<br />
<strong>in</strong>terviews. I would go <strong>in</strong> with an idea of <strong>the</strong> sort of<br />
questions I wanted to ask. We didn’t have any formal<br />
questions. We just had an aide-mémoire. And I drew<br />
up outside <strong>the</strong> house and <strong>the</strong> door opened and <strong>the</strong><br />
mo<strong>the</strong>r came out and greeted me and I went <strong>in</strong> and<br />
she was hav<strong>in</strong>g a party. It was her birthday and <strong>the</strong><br />
house was full of people and it was a case of just<br />
gett<strong>in</strong>g to know her <strong>in</strong> that situation really. And it was<br />
a really good <strong>in</strong>troduction of how it was go<strong>in</strong>g to be<br />
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