Discussion # 5 week 9

Research question: How does stress affect day-to-day life?

 This question will require a qualitative research approach in order to find the relationship between stress and our everyday life. Researchers will be interested in understanding how stress affects people’s health through observation, experiments and interview (Yardley, 2017). Through interview and observation, the researcher will ask open-ended questions and as a result, he or she will understand the feelings and perception which influence behavior.

The best qualitative method in answering this research question is Phenomenology. This method is used to explore the lives of people, their perception and their reaction toward life experiences. In addition, it is used in human science and deals with issues related with sociology, psychology and more (Yardley, 2017). The phenomenological approach has strengths in that a clear and a complete description of human experience are achieved.  The approach ensures quality care and careful techniques which makes the description more faithful.  Through the use of ‘bracketing’ in presuppositions, the investigator ensures that such presuppositions and partiality do not influence the findings (Yardley, 2017). However, this method has weaknesses because the participant is required to provide articulate skills and this lead to generalization problems. In philosophical system, the language and terms which are used are hard to understand since there are other different ontological assumptions (Yardley, 2017).The method depends on specific person to deliver conclusion. This may lose rich information based on life experience.

 

In researching the question, a mixed methods approach would be beneficial. The benefit will arise in understanding the research problem. A greater validity will be achieved and the major questions will be answered through focusing on various perspectives (Nowel et al, 2017). When a single methodology fails to offer information required, a mixed approach will provide a depth understanding.

            Both qualitative and quantitative approach moves together in finding a line of inquiry. The purpose of the two methods is to map out the human behavior and its complexity from various standpoints (Nowel et al, 2017). The weaknesses which could be achieved by a single approach are minimized when the two approaches are used. Thus, the combination minimizes the weaknesses and maximizes the strength.  Both make the study strong in that rather than focusing on a research approach they help in comprehending a research problem. The two methods involve triangulation which creates a strong study. Triangulation means that various means in exploring phenomena are used and through using diverse vantage points, accuracy is achieved (Nowel et al, 2017). However, there are challenges encountered in mixed methods approach. First, the combination creates complexity. In implementing the mixed research method, attention, time as well as resources are needed (Nowel et al, 2017). It is important to note that a mixed research requires an expertise and different specialized researchers should collaborate in developing this project. A challenge may also arise due to different research philosophies with the different researchers (Nowel et al, 2017). When interpreting the findings, it is difficult to provide solutions toward the discrepancies.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

Yardley, L. (2017). Demonstrating the validity of qualitative research. Journal Of Positive

Psychology, 12(3), 295-296. doi:10.1080/17439760.2016.1262624

 

Nowell, L., Norris, J. M., Mrklas, K., & White, D. E. (2017). Mixed methods systematic review exploring

mentorship outcomes in nursing academia. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 73(3), 527-544.

doi:10.1111/jan.13152