The Grounded Theory Research Study Group for Teaching Qualitative Research Methodology to Postgraduate Psychiatric Nursing Students

Postgraduate psychiatric nursing students often choose to gather data through interviews, or by participant-observation studies. However, a large number of students have difficulties in applying and attaining reliable and relevant research results. Hence , we started the grounded theory research study group from October , 2008.

The learner objectives

1.The learner will be able to experience a process of data analysis technique sharing at the grounded theory research study group.

2.The learner will be able to obtain high quality data by fundamental education to improve interview , and participant-observation studies. 

The purpose of this presentation

A large number of postgraduate psychiatric nursing students have difficulties in applying and attaining reliable and relevant a qualitative research results.Hence , this presentation is to provide guidance in regards to teaching methods through a process of data analysis technique sharing at a research study group. 

The target audience of this presentation

Postgraduate psychiatric nursing students often choose to gather data through interviews, or by participant-observation studies. However, a large number of students have difficulties in applying and attaining reliable and relevant research results. Hence , the target audience are professors and students who teach or study qualitative research methodology. 

Method

The grounded theory research study group for postgraduate students majoring in psychiatric nursing was conducted once a fortnight for a period of six months, at a university in Tokyo, Japan. Statements and concerns raised by participants in regards to the qualitative research methods was extracted, and analyzed by categorizing based on content.

Table1The research study group of grounded theory approach Schedule

 (From October to March(once a fortnight 19:00-21:00))

	Content to learn through a lecture / presentation	Contents of the practice
No.1	What is the GTA?         The meaning of learning the GTA
No.2	Fundamental education to improve interview	Method of collecting data from interview
No.3	Concepts       Properties and Dimensions	The reading of data for understanding extracting a property and a dimension
No.4	Labeling data Summarizing data within a category	Labeling data
No.5	Connecting categories Constructing the paradigm	Performing the comparison in data and extracting a property and a dimension
No.6	Microanalysis	Summarizing data within a category, Labeling  categories
No.7	Theoretical comparisons Theoretical sampling	Theoretical comparisons Theoretical sampling
No.8	Analytic tools	Making a category association map
No.9 -No.12	Fundamental education to improve participant-observation studies	Method of collecting data from participant-observation studies

(Made this schedule based on “Shigeko Saiki-Craighil(2008).Qualitative Research Methodology SeminarFLearning Grounded Theory Approach,Enlarged ed, p14,Table 1,Igaku-Shoin, Tokyo.” ) 

(Another reference in this research study group:Strauss , A.Corbin , J. (1998).Basics of Qualitative Research:Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory , 2nd ed , SAGE.)

The procedure of the analysis based on Grounded theory approach

1. The reading of data for understanding

  ↓  Extracting of properties and a dimensions every piece

2. Labeling data

  ↓  Comparison of dimensions and properties between labels

3. Labeling categories

  ↓  Comparison of dimensions and properties between categories

4. Grasping relations between categories

  ↓  Making a category association map based on a paradigm

5. Theoretical sampling

      The comparison is performed through all processes of the analysis 

Result

245 statements were yielded, and were then placed in the following 5 categories, "question and comment about interview technique", "question and comment about property and dimension", "question and comment about theoretical comparisons", "question and comment about theoretical sampling", and "question and comment about research process".

Question and comment about interview technique

- Methods on requesting interviews

- The grounded theory approach based on Symbolic Interactionism

- Necessity and the significance of theoretical sampling

- Necessity and the significance of using the comparison techniques during the interview

Question and comment about property and dimension

- Necessity and the significance of increasing property and dimension

 - A stage to extract property and dimension

 - Necessity and the significance of microanalysis

 - How to extract property

 - A stage which use property and dimension 

Question and comment about theoretical comparisons

- Necessity and the significance of using the comparison

- Necessity and the significance of comparing it based on properties

- Necessity and the significance of the comparison of the data which have  common labels

- How to practice theoretical comparisons

Question and comment about theoretical sampling

- Necessity and the significance of theoretical sampling

- Concerns regarding diffusion of data with theoretical sampling

- How to receive ethical review

Question and comment about research process

- Clear statement of research process demanded in article evaluation (a doctoral dissertation / a master's thesis) and the description of the scientific grounds

- Necessity and the significance of microanalysis

- Positioning of paradigm and category association map

- Necessity and the significance of category association map

- Necessity and the significance of constructing the paradigm

- Necessity and the significance of experiencing a series of flows of the analysis

- How to write story lines

- How to select a core category

Conclusion

It is imperate to obtain high quality data, when conducting qualitative research.Hence, fundamental education to improve interview, and participant-observation skills is necessary.

It is also necessary to provide guidance to ensure that each methodologies objective is at the fore front of the students thoughts when analyzing data through "theoretical comparisons" and "theoretical sampling" and when properties and dimensions of the research is being determined.

This will result in motivating students in continuing with the analysis, which often requires a steady continuation of work.

Also it is worth noting that confirming the position of each analysis technique in the whole research process, and linking this to the thesis writing process can reduce student concerns during the research process.