Adopting the qualitative paradigm to understanding children's perspectives of illness: barrier or facilitator?
Reliance on the traditional quantitative paradigm has been the norm for exploring the phenomenon of children's illness experiences. Although it provides valuable information on the psychosocial sequelae of children in response to illness, an account of children's perspectives of the illness experience is missing. Accordingly, researchers since the early 1980s have been advocating the need to adopt the qualitative paradigm in the study of children's illness experiences. Nonetheless, even though there is a call for more qualitative research, the majority of research being conducted today still supports the quantitative paradigm. This report examines why researchers may be reluctant to adopt the qualitative paradigm. Specifically, the author proposes that this reluctance may stem from researchers' perceiving children as being less competent and social than adults, which would explain the need to research children solely from an objective, impersonal stance. Primary philosophical principles of the qualitative paradigm may be seen as barriers to accessing children's thoughts. The author suggests, however, that when children are viewed from an alternative perspective, the major principles of the qualitative paradigm may actually serve as facilitators to apprehending their thoughts and feelings. The following key principles of the qualitative research paradigm are examined: (a) realities are constructed by human beings who are viewed as active agents making sense out of the realities they encounter; (b) realities are multiple and must be perceived holistically and from various vantage points; and (c) realities are shared and mutually shaped by the researcher and research participants. Key strategies that promote successful use of the qualitative paradigm in the study of children's illness experiences are also discussed.
Woodgate
R
R
Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000523:psychology