title: Investigator reflections: A final debriefing following emotionally sensitive mirror research.
abstract: Peer debriefing in sensitive qualitative research is important for 2 reasons: study rigor and researcher emotional support. In this case study, the authors share a final debriefing following a study of the experience of viewing self in the mirror after a mastectomy. Each author/researcher shares, in her own words, her recollections of prestudy thoughts about the study. These thoughts stand in sharp contrast to poststudy realizations. These pre- and poststudy thoughts are a continuation of an audit trail that was maintained throughout the study. What was notable in this last debriefing was how the study shifted the researchers' understanding of the phenomenon under study and their use and discussion of the mirror in clinical practice. Lessons learned and implications for nursing are shared with the nursing community.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing at Texas Woman's University-Houston, Houston 77030, USA. wfreysteinson@twu.edu
authors.forename: Wyona M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Freysteinson
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sisk
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wuest
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cesario
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000523:psychology*