title: The use of interviews in Q methodology: card content analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although much has been published in the literature on how to perform a Q methodological study, the use of interviews within this process has received little attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The purpose of this review is to explore the use of interviews in a Q methodological study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An introduction to Q methodology is provided. The aims of an interview within a Q methodological study are described, and how these aims lend themselves to a particular method of analysis is explored. How to perform this analysis is outlined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of interviews can increase the validity of a Q methodological study by providing the participant's rationale for analysis of the factor arrays. When to perform the interviews is still under debate, and further study is required to determine whether the timing affects the results.
authors.affiliation: Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, United Kingdom. katie.gallagher@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Davina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porock
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011779:Q-Sort / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design