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
In-depth interviewing encouraged multiple interviews and ongoing engagement with participants as research collaborators as ways of minimising the power differences between researcher and researched and highlighting their shared experiences as women (Oakley, 1981; Stanley & Wise, 1983; Harding, 1986). Comments by two of the women indicated that they valued the containment offered by this approach. Cynthia (all names have been changed) said at follow-up that it was the absence of an emotional tie between herself and me that enabled her to share her experiences. She contrasted her relationship with me to that of her family and friends: I don’t feel that I’m vulnerable to you because we are not emotionally linked. I feel that you are doing a job. I’m participating in this of my own free will so I don’t look at you as a threat to my innermost feelings (Darlington, 1993, p. 109). Judith welcomed the follow-up interview as a chance to achieve closure: Even this morning when they asked me where I was going I said, ‘I’ve got the follow-up interview with the researcher’, and I even felt then that it was very necessary that I was going to follow it up. I felt it was good that I was going to do the follow-up—not sort of left up in the air (Darlington, 1993, p. 109). Her comments at the end of the follow-up interview indicated that it had been a useful process for her: I feel much happier. I’ve read a few books on women’s stories and that and I was thinking that’s how it must feel when they’ve written the book. An excited feeling. Powerful . . . I’ll probably go and do a little skip up the street. That’s the feeling. Compared to feeling really vulnerable after the interview (Darlington, 1993, p. 109). Referral source My decision to include only women referred through counsellors and support groups also related to my concern that women should be readily able to obtain support in relation to any issues engendered by their participation in the research. It also enabled me to concentrate fully on my role as researcher, taking responsibility for how I related to the women as researcher but without having 71
Qualitative research in practice to cross over to a counselling role for which, in this context, I had no mandate. Two themes in the women’s comments supported this decision. First, several of the women commented that participation in the study would have been difficult for them had they not already had counselling in relation to their sexual abuse, and second, even in this group of self-selected women, over two-thirds reported some degree of emotional distress following the interview. In relation to the timing of the interview, some of the women identified a time when they would either not have made themselves available to be interviewed about their experience of sexual abuse or, if they had, would have found it emotionally detrimental. Cynthia said it had only been since she had come to believe that the sexual abuse was not her fault that she had been able to talk about it; but prior to that, she would have felt too ashamed to do an interview like this. Irene thought that, even six months earlier, she would have coped poorly with the stress of talking about such painful issues, saying, ‘It could have really taken me down.’ Judith would not previously have been able to participate in research on this topic as it had only been her recent recall of her sexual abuse that made her experience accessible even to herself. Of the women who reported some degree of emotional distress following the interview, some had had regular counselling appointments or support group meetings following the interview that had helped. Others said their distress had subsided of its own accord. Nevertheless, all the women reported that they were pleased they had done the interview. Some, like Judith, found the process itself helpful: I can’t believe it. I’ve actually talked nearly three hours . . . It’s like I’ve never been able to do that before . . . but it’s like that I’ve been allowed to say, to go on and on for nearly three hours and it’s just been okay to do that. And what I was saying, maybe it was worth putting on tape (Darlington, 1996, p. 130). Comments In this chapter, we have seen that in-depth interviewing involves much more than what happens in the interview itself, crucial as this is. We have considered the selection of participants, the initial 72
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- Page 136 and 137: 6 Mixing methods ‘Mixed methods
In-depth <strong>in</strong>terview<strong>in</strong>g<br />
encouraged multiple <strong>in</strong>terviews and ongo<strong>in</strong>g engagement with<br />
participants as research collaborators as ways of m<strong>in</strong>imis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
power differences between researcher and researched and highlight<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir shared experiences as women (Oakley, 1981;<br />
Stanley & Wise, 1983; Hard<strong>in</strong>g, 1986).<br />
Comments by two of <strong>the</strong> women <strong>in</strong>dicated that <strong>the</strong>y valued<br />
<strong>the</strong> conta<strong>in</strong>ment offered by this approach. Cynthia (all names<br />
have been changed) said at follow-up that it was <strong>the</strong> absence of<br />
an emotional tie between herself and me that enabled her to share<br />
her experiences. She contrasted her relationship with me to that<br />
of her family and friends:<br />
I don’t feel that I’m vulnerable to you because we are not<br />
emotionally l<strong>in</strong>ked. I feel that you are do<strong>in</strong>g a job. I’m participat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> this of my own free will so I don’t look at you as a threat to my<br />
<strong>in</strong>nermost feel<strong>in</strong>gs (Darl<strong>in</strong>gton, 1993, p. 109).<br />
Judith welcomed <strong>the</strong> follow-up <strong>in</strong>terview as a chance to achieve<br />
closure:<br />
Even this morn<strong>in</strong>g when <strong>the</strong>y asked me where I was go<strong>in</strong>g I said,<br />
‘I’ve got <strong>the</strong> follow-up <strong>in</strong>terview with <strong>the</strong> researcher’, and I even<br />
felt <strong>the</strong>n that it was very necessary that I was go<strong>in</strong>g to follow it up.<br />
I felt it was good that I was go<strong>in</strong>g to do <strong>the</strong> follow-up—not sort of<br />
left up <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> air (Darl<strong>in</strong>gton, 1993, p. 109).<br />
Her comments at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> follow-up <strong>in</strong>terview <strong>in</strong>dicated that<br />
it had been a useful process for her:<br />
I feel much happier. I’ve read a few books on women’s stories and<br />
that and I was th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g that’s how it must feel when <strong>the</strong>y’ve written<br />
<strong>the</strong> book. An excited feel<strong>in</strong>g. Powerful . . . I’ll probably go and do<br />
a little skip up <strong>the</strong> street. That’s <strong>the</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g. Compared to feel<strong>in</strong>g<br />
really vulnerable after <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terview (Darl<strong>in</strong>gton, 1993, p. 109).<br />
Referral source<br />
My decision to <strong>in</strong>clude only women referred through counsellors<br />
and support groups also related to my concern that women should<br />
be readily able to obta<strong>in</strong> support <strong>in</strong> relation to any issues engendered<br />
by <strong>the</strong>ir participation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> research. It also enabled me to<br />
concentrate fully on my role as researcher, tak<strong>in</strong>g responsibility<br />
for how I related to <strong>the</strong> women as researcher but without hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />
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