Tweetchat: Validity, reliability and generalisability in qualitative research

The eighth #ResNetSLT Tweetchat of 2018 took place place on Wednesday, 26th September.

The chat was hosted by Milly Heelan (@heelan_phd) and Chiara Vivaldi (@VivaldiC) and was based around the discussion paper: Validity, reliability and generalisability in qualitative research.

Please click here to view the pre-chat overview and questions.

We had 27 people actively tweeting and using our hashtag #ResNetSLT, with many others also watching and retweeting the conversations. There were 180 tweets in total during the hour, with a 'reach' to over 178,402 linked Twitter accounts.

We were joined by people with a range of backgrounds in qualitative research, from seasoned researchers to those trying it for the first time. All agreed that qualitative research is invaluable as it can push forward improvements in healthcare delivery by answering questions that are not within the scope of quantitative research.

A discussion of the challenges involved in reading and applying qualitative research to clinical practice highlighted difficulties with replicability, generalisability and the potential subjectivity of research interpretations. It was heartening to hear however, that it does become easier.

Studying research methods, practicing critical appraisal and seeking support from colleagues were all cited as ways to get more comfortable using qualitative research, and checklists and resources were also mentioned as useful aids (see below for list).

The discussion then turned to the opportunities and challenges involved in actually carrying out qualitative research. Some of challenges highlighted included the sheer amount of time involved in analysing the data and developing the skills to support participants to open up in interviews.

Involving clients with communication difficulties was also emphasised as an extremely important and worthwhile challenge. The somewhat 'undefined' nature of qualitative research seemed to present both a challenge and an opportunity with, for example 'conversation analysis' suggested as a qualitative tool for analysing naturally occurring social interactions.

Finally the Tweetchat was rounded off with a host of top tips for those wanting to get more involved with qualitative research. These included:
  • Collaborate with others both within and outside your profession
  • Speak to people already involved in qualitative research
  • Get qualitative training in the specific methods you are interested in
  • Read around different approaches
  • Make links via conferences, CENs and forums
  • Keep a reflective log
  • Choose your question and methodology carefully and let the themes emerge
In conclusion, as summarised by one of the tweeters "Don't think qualitative research is restricted to feelings, perceptions, meaning, or experiences - it can be used to explain why things do/don't work and for whom, and to unpack interventions".

You can find the link to the full transcript here and our Twitter stats here.

Save the date in your diary now for our next chat on Wednesday, 31st October, where the focus will be on treatment Intensity and its impact on therapeutic outcomes.

Resources for critically appraising qualitative research:

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