Narrative And Grounded Theory In Qualitative Research

Narrative and Grounded Theory in Qualitative Research Methods

According to Lieblich (1988), narrative research is a study of narrative materials or anything that uses narrative. In essence, narrative research focuses on understanding the experience and point of view of the narrator. Squire, Andrews, and Tamboukou (2013) highlight that narrative research is frequently utilized in social research because interviews and personal testimonies produce narratives that can be examined for deeper insights. They also note that narrative data collection can be overwhelming due to its open interpretive nature, which presents both opportunities and challenges for researchers. Data collection methods in narrative research include audio recordings, journals, interviews, stories, autobiographies, pictures, among others. The analysis is primarily qualitative, involving the organization, interpretation, and sometimes quantification of textual content. The approach to data analysis varies depending on the research goals, such as identifying patterns, synthesizing findings, or deriving themes from the stories.

Grounded theory, as defined by Jacelon and O’Dell (2005), allows researchers to develop a method that accurately describes or explains a phenomenon by perceiving and presenting individuals’ perspectives. This methodology emphasizes naturalistic data collection strategies like observations, interviews, and documentation. It is one of the most widely adopted qualitative research methods due to its ability to explore social behaviors and relationships. Grounded theory employs inductive reasoning and integrates the hypothetico-deductive model to systematically construct and analyze data through comparison. For example, in a recent study, two out of three invited schools participated, with each student completing an individual interview and their parents providing a consent form. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following grounded theory procedures. This approach utilized the constructivist perspective to understand how social support influences adolescent girls’ physical activity, illustrating the method’s capacity to reveal underlying social dynamics.

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Qualitative research methodologies such as narrative research and grounded theory play a pivotal role in exploring human experiences, social interactions, and behaviors. Both approaches enable researchers to uncover complex meanings and patterns within data, emphasizing depth over quantification. Narrative research, as outlined by Lieblich (1988), centers on the understanding of personal stories and the subjective perspectives of individuals. It is especially useful in social sciences where personal testimonies, interviews, and autobiographies serve as rich sources of data. The primary analytical process involves interpreting stories to identify themes, patterns, and insights that reveal the lived experiences of narrators (Squire, Andrews, & Tamboukou, 2013). Despite its strength in capturing nuanced human experiences, narrative analysis can be challenging due to its interpretive nature, requiring researchers to carefully manage the vastness of collected data and their subjective interpretations.

Grounded theory, on the other hand, is designed to generate theories grounded in systematically collected data (Jacelon & O’Dell, 2005). Its focus is on understanding social processes and behaviors through inductive analysis, which involves comparing data segments to uncover recurring themes or categories. This method emphasizes naturalistic data collection methods like observations and interviews, facilitating the exploration of social phenomena as they naturally occur. The constructivist variant of grounded theory, as used in recent research, emphasizes the co-creation of understanding between researcher and participant (Yvonne Laird et al., 2018). For instance, in a study on social support and physical activity among adolescent girls, researchers collected data through interviews and analyzed it iteratively to develop a theory explaining how social support influences health behaviors. This approach enables the development of contextually relevant theories that can inform interventions and policy.

Both narrative research and grounded theory have unique strengths suited to different research questions. Narrative research excels in capturing personal, subjective experiences, making it invaluable in psychology, education, and social work. Meanwhile, grounded theory is highly effective for exploring social processes and generating explanatory models in various fields. Integrating these methodologies can provide comprehensive insights into complex social phenomena, combining rich description with theory development, thereby enriching the qualitative research landscape. Ultimately, the choice of method depends on the research objectives, nature of data, and desired outcomes, underscoring the importance of methodological alignment in qualitative inquiry.

References

• Jacelon, C. S., & O’Dell, K. K. (2005). Case and Grounded Theory as Qualitative Research Methods. Urologic Nursing, 25(1), 49–52.
• Lieblich, A. (1998). Narrative research: Reading, analysis, and interpretation. Sage Publications.
• Squire, C., Andrews, M., & Tamboukou, M. (2013). Doing Narrative Research (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
• Yvonne Laird, Samantha Fawkner, & Ailsa Niven. (2018). A grounded theory of how social support influences physical activity in adolescent girls. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being.