Data collection methods and applications

URL http://www.jstor.org/Stable/1966716

The user perspective of counseling was explored by the use of evaluation methods and post counseling interviews (Huntington, Lettenmaier, & Obeng-Quaidoo, 1990). In Ghana, there has been little research on the views of clients of the counseling process. This gap in the literature and the understanding of counselors provided a unique opportunity for the researchers to explore this phenomenon. For the research, the authors engaged a qualitative research design. The unexplored nature of the phenomenon guided the researchers in their choice of research design for this work.

The method of data collection used in this research included clinical observations and an exit interview. Eighteen women who posed as clients visited six clinics to receive counseling. Three of the clinics had professionally trained counselors and the other three untrained counselors. These clients "mystery clients" were interviewed after their clinic visits with a view to uncovering any perceived differences between the trained and untrained counselors, in terms of their management of the clients concerns and general manner. The research also used monitors. The monitors were employees of the Ministry of Health and they identified and briefed the clients before the research program began. The clients were also informed that they should answer all questions honestly and to observe carefully everything that they saw and heard. The results suggested that trained counselors consistently provided more complete information than untrained counselors did. However, both groups demonstrated observable disrespect for younger clients, and withheld information from those clients.

This method used for data collection has several problems as it omits significant elements to enhance the credibility of the work. There was no attempt to engage in data triangulation. Kennedy (1984) suggests that one of the most enemies to the credibility of qualitative work is the nature of the work itself. In this instance using young women and then debriefing after two clinical visits introduced the possibility that their observations could become confused in their minds. It might have been prudent to do the debriefing after each clinic. In any case, some type of triangulation would assist in the resolution of this issue that influences the credibility of the data. This however is one of the weaknesses of this method of data collection since it relies heavily on memory which when untrained is subject to decay and the confusion of experiences.

The confirmability of the data would be interesting, as the authors did not demonstrate that there was any type of reflexivity done by the young women. This is particularly important since the research was on perception and it may be difficult for the individual to adequately examine perceptions of the process at that time, separating them from perceptions about the process overall. Some form of reflexivity would have assisted in the supporting the confirmability of the work. Key (1997) advocates the use of a confirmability audit to assist in the establishment of confirmability in the work.

In an examination of the transferability of the work, consideration should be given to the sample. This is not to establish generalizability in a quantitative sense but rather to determine the results could be useful in a similar population. The sample was chosen purposively and attempts were made to represent the key factors the researcher believed influenced treatment. This then gives the work reasonable transferability.

URL http://www.jstor.org/stable/40005275

The second article addressed the challenge faced by the wives of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, the researchers examined the perceptions of nine wives whose husbands were experiencing PTSD. The data were collected using a semi-structured in-depth focus group. The sample design for the research is purposeful and consequently the researcher was unable to derive statistical generalizability from their data. However, the data collected would have great depth and authenticity since it would represent the phenomenon more completely than another approach.

The focus group lasted two hours and provided an opportunity for the wives to engage in rich discussion about their experiences (Strauss & Corbin 1990). The group discussion was conducted in Hebrew; it was videotaped and later transcribed. The use of the focus group would be beneficial for this problem because the quantum of available data on the subject is very limited. Thus in using the focus group the researcher is able to create "concentrated amounts of data" and save on both time and money when compared to personal interviews (Dekel, Goldblatt, Keidar, Solomon, & Polliack, 2005). The focus group however suffers from the chronic problem of a single individual dominating the discussion, which may skew the data collected or drive the group off topic.