As the use of qualitative methods increases within the field of social work (Bein & Allen, 1999; Gilgun, 1994; Padgett, 1998), it is imperative that attention be paid to the issue of establishing rigor when engaging in this methodology (Johnson & Waterfield, 2004; Padgett, 1998). The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze methods that were used during a narrative analysis to manage the threats to trustworthiness as discussed by Padgett (1998). First, the project engaged in narrative inquiry by analyzing ongoing personal journals of two participants who wrote about their day to day experiences with being Jewish. Second, an initial analysis of the data was completed by the researcher in which the only strategies used for establishing trustworthiness were the use of reflexivity and auditing. After this initial analysis was completed, the following strategies were employed: triangulation by observation, peer debriefing, and member checking. The triangulation by observation and the peer debriefing involved bringing in a second analyst to review the narrative data. During the second analysis, the analyst did not engage in reflexivity or auditing. This allowed for a comparison between the analyses conducted with and without reflexivity and auditing. It also allowed this project to triangulate with a different observer and to engage in peer debriefing. Finally, the project analyzed the findings that were uncovered from the initial analysis, the findings that were uncovered in the second analysis as well as the overall findings that were uncovered after engaging in all five of the strategies aimed at increasing trustworthiness. The results of this project showed that the member checking and reflexivity were the most significant at increasing the trustworthiness in this study. In addition, the findings suggested that a triangulation of data source may have been a better way to engage in the strategy of triangulation for this project. Finally, the role of personal experience on the part of the researcher engaging in qualitative data analysis was identified as a potential threat to trustworthiness and implications for managing this threat were uncovered. This project offers implications regarding developing rigor in qualitative research. The results show that engaging in strategies such as reflexivity and member checking can increase the trustworthiness of the findings. Second, it identifies the role of life experience, especially when studying topics that are deeply personal such as spirituality, as a threat to trustworthiness in qualitative research and discusses further strategies for addressing such concerns.

References

Bein, A. & Allen, K. (1999). Hand in glove? It fits better than you think. Social Work, 44(3).

Gilgun, J. (1994). Hand into glove. The grounded theory approach and social work practice research. In E. Sherman & W.J Reid (Eds.), Qualitative Research in Social Work (pp.115-125). New York: Columbia University Press.

Johnson, R. & Waterfield, J. (2004). Making words count: the value of qualitative research. Physiotherapy Research International, 9(3).

Padgett, D. K. (1998). Qualitative methods in social work research: Challenges and rewards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.