Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning
Recent years have seen an increase in the publication of qualitative studies in psychological research. As meta-analyses in quantitative research, qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) methods such as meta synthesis, thematic synthesis, or meta ethnography strive to analyse findings from primary qual...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Methods in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590260121000278 |
| _version_ | 1818701101024673792 |
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| author | Gesa Solveig Duden |
| author_facet | Gesa Solveig Duden |
| author_sort | Gesa Solveig Duden |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent years have seen an increase in the publication of qualitative studies in psychological research. As meta-analyses in quantitative research, qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) methods such as meta synthesis, thematic synthesis, or meta ethnography strive to analyse findings from primary qualitative inquiries. However, these approaches are still largely unknown to psychological researchers and come with a number of challenges. The present article aims to introduce QES to the reader, outline some of its benefits, and shed light on two challenges of QES, in particular: on the question of how to include studies from a great diversity of countries and cultures, and on the conflict of reducing, merging, and abstracting from the findings of primary studies while aspiring to preserve their full contribution and meaning. These challenges are explained by providing a practical example of a QES from the field of mental healthcare research. The article concludes with some suggestions for future qualitative meta researchers, such as working in teams that include members from a plurality of contexts who speak a multiplicity of languages, as well as transparently reporting on decisions taken during the research process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:15:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f389c3afd17b4f30939938c0ea7a1545 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2590-2601 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:15:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Methods in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f389c3afd17b4f30939938c0ea7a15452022-12-21T21:43:33ZengElsevierMethods in Psychology2590-26012021-12-015100070Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaningGesa Solveig Duden0Universität Osnabrück, Neuer Graben, 49074, Osnabrück, Germany; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, Florianópolis, SC CEP:, 88040-500, BrazilRecent years have seen an increase in the publication of qualitative studies in psychological research. As meta-analyses in quantitative research, qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) methods such as meta synthesis, thematic synthesis, or meta ethnography strive to analyse findings from primary qualitative inquiries. However, these approaches are still largely unknown to psychological researchers and come with a number of challenges. The present article aims to introduce QES to the reader, outline some of its benefits, and shed light on two challenges of QES, in particular: on the question of how to include studies from a great diversity of countries and cultures, and on the conflict of reducing, merging, and abstracting from the findings of primary studies while aspiring to preserve their full contribution and meaning. These challenges are explained by providing a practical example of a QES from the field of mental healthcare research. The article concludes with some suggestions for future qualitative meta researchers, such as working in teams that include members from a plurality of contexts who speak a multiplicity of languages, as well as transparently reporting on decisions taken during the research process.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590260121000278Qualitative evidence synthesisThematic synthesisMeta synthesisQualitative meta-analysisDecolonising researchIntellectual style |
| spellingShingle | Gesa Solveig Duden Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning Methods in Psychology Qualitative evidence synthesis Thematic synthesis Meta synthesis Qualitative meta-analysis Decolonising research Intellectual style |
| title | Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| title_full | Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| title_fullStr | Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| title_short | Challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis – Aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| title_sort | challenges to qualitative evidence synthesis aiming for diversity and abstracting without losing meaning |
| topic | Qualitative evidence synthesis Thematic synthesis Meta synthesis Qualitative meta-analysis Decolonising research Intellectual style |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590260121000278 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gesasolveigduden challengestoqualitativeevidencesynthesisaimingfordiversityandabstractingwithoutlosingmeaning |