title: No room for reflexivity? Critical reflections following a systematic review of qualitative research.
abstract: We conducted a systematic search of qualitative research into the individual's experience of chronic low back pain. Two reviewers independently read through 740 unique abstracts. Inter-rater reliability was fair. The final sample comprised 19 articles which we critiqued using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. This article focuses on the critical appraisal. Limitations include a lack of an adequate rationale for the theoretical framework, a lack of an account for the decisions made across recruitment and data collection, and a lack of reflexivity. Finally we discuss and offer recommendations for reflexivity and the explication of qualitative methodology in research articles.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health & Social Care Research, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK. b.j.newton@gmx.com
authors.forename: Benjamin John
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rothlingova
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutteridge
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: LeMarchand
authors.forename: Jon Howard
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Raphael
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology; D015588:Observer Variation; D018579:Patient Selection; D036301:Qualitative Research; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic