I wonder if it is possible, ethically or pragmatically, to do prospective qualitative longitudinal research involving specific participants plus a number of people who are important to them?

Speaker(s):

Kirstie Coxon, University of Central Lancashire

Abstract:

Many examples of social research are in-depth and informative because these use qualitative methods to unpick experiences and meanings. What happens though when there are several people involved, and they all have different experiences and meaning makings of the same phenomena? How do we capture that? In my own field (maternity care), I am contemplating prospective research on care experience and decision making with currently pregnant women. I want to involve their birth partners or other significant family members/friends, and also the same midwife/midwives and obstetricians who are providing care for the woman participant. There may also be doulas and others to consider, key people who contribute to, influence, set the context for or otherwise affect experiences of birth and the extent to which women and partners receive supportive and individualised care. There are examples of quantitative research which has moved beyond dyads for analytic purposes (‘one-with-many’ designs) but little evidence of qualitative studies that have attempted this, although a multi-person perspective could provide a wealth of insight. The research I am considering is also a critical participatory action design project, so examples of ways to involve participants in designing and engaging with the methodology are also needed. Exploration of the many ethical and interpersonal dilemmas that research of this nature might generate would also add depth to consideration of prospective qualitative longitudinal ‘one with many’ design research. This approach could help push beyond the ‘so what?’ challenge faced by much experiential research.