After reading your colleague’s critique of the published

qualitative study, consider the following in your reply:

1) Do you agree with your colleague’s assessment of the assigned

study? Why or why not?

2) What evidence of reflexivity do you see (if any) that your colleague

has not mentioned?

3) What ethical implications has your colleague described? Are there

any other potential ethical issues your colleague has not mentioned?

4) What suggestions can you offer about a qualitative research design

for your colleague’s research topic?

REPLY TO MY CLASSMATE’S DISCUSSION BY

ANSWERING THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS

WEEK DISCUSSION 1 (Katherine) (MINIMUM OF 300

WORDS)

What is the research question?

The question would be, ‘How does a qualitative research question differ from the research
question in a qualitative study, taking depression and cardiovascular disease as a basis for
your research?’.

How does a qualitative research question differ from the research question in a
quantitative study?

Qualitative research is a known alternative for quantitative research, using more broader
scope of study in any research; its focus is on how the researcher gains insight and
understanding in research, trying to use research tools to get information, and
perception of circumstances. We have the phenomenological, ethnographic, historical,
action, case study types in qualitative research; which involves asking broader research
questions, conducting interviews, without using numbers (Creswell & Creswell, 2017).
Like the qualitative which can be experimental and non-experimental, with the use of
words, pictures, no numbers or variables, answering the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind a
correlation of behavior. In contrast, quantitative research uses its numerics and numbers
to develop statistical picture of the said research, which sheds more light with its analysis
defining the experiment for the right audience.

What procedure was used to recruit participants for the sample? Was the sample size
appropriate? Why or why not?
The participants involves the researcher joining in with the activities of the participants

instead of just watching what is done from a distance. As mentioned in the qualitative
interview study, there were 20 participating patients who were engaged in the trials (18
years and older), in a nine-week program of depression, alongside nurses who were
there to guide, and the psychologist. Dealing with patients depression and cardiovascular
disease (CVD); the patients actively involved in the treatment process, the challenging
experience, and the thought of working to aid improvement (Hare & Toukhsati, 2014).

One can say that the sample size was quite appropriate, as the research was done with
an interview, via telephone, with a good number of participants and observations which
directly influenced the research findings; the precision of the estimated figures and being
able to draw conclusions on the findings. To determine the appropriate sample size in
qualitative research, the information given was evaluated, by the quality and how it was
put and purposefully sampled, noting that in this research numbers are not used as a
basis for ensuring adequate sampling. Telephone interviews can equally be said to be as
effective as face-to-face interviews when taking research for data collection

What do you think the researcher’s paradigm was?
Knowing that the framework try to fit in to enable a proper research plan; by
understanding the aim of the study, what questions to be asked, method of analysis, the
research paradigms have helped influence the researcher in the methods of research
done, using critical theory. The research was exploratory, evaluative or
predictive. Exploratory by using qualitative semi-structured study design for the
interviews, on a one-on-one basis with participants, targeting depression in patients with
heart failure, hence making it a no face-to-face contact with the patients. It was
then evaluated, by assessing the competence in the research and how the patients got
evaluated feedback from the nurses, with also an evaluation of the effect of internet-
based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients who
suffered depression, giving a knowledge of what the feedback and result would be.

What evidence of reflexivity do you see in the research report?
The aim of being reflexive is to understand the fact that some beliefs may affect the
research, in attempt to question my assumptions, and influences what is known without
reservations or bias. In this research, it was both prospective and retrospective (the
effect the researcher had on the study and vice versa). The research had its effect on the
patients; changing their perspective towards how they think, behave, and the effect it
had on their emotions. They were able to understand the treatment of the disease and
how best to live with it, though it was quite demanding and emotionally challenging.
Reflexivity gave the researcher an awareness of the values, opinion, and a great
experience for its participants not minding the effect it had on them, hence pushing
them closer to the aim of the study (subjective nature of qualitative research and study).

What ethical considerations were mentioned in the research report? What applicable ethical
considerations can you think of that were not mentioned by the researchers?

In a research, the researcher looks at what it takes to get the research started; by getting
and putting in place what is needed to do a credible and positively achievable research,

doing a mental ratio on the effect of the research, not forgetting that there could be
some lapses and constraint (weighing the pros and the cons). Ethical considerations in
qualitative research approach are somewhat similar to that of the quantitative, this can
be seen when we look at the ethics code of conduct, and the research quality, it’s
informed consent, confidentiality and privacy (APA, 2017). Taking the subjectivity on the
interpretation of the data and conclusion. Taking some of the feedbacks from
participants, one can say that it was quite engaging, as the patients with CVD and
depression were able relate with the researchers personally, with decorum and giving
them a listening ear. Considerably, good ethics was practiced, as the patients were able
to relate with the interviewer, feeling safe, with the feeling of not being alone in that
state, expressing their thoughts, fears, and emotions.

With all of this and having read some of the interactions the patients had with the
researcher, it was not mentioned that there was privacy and confidentiality in the
conversations; it lacked an in-depth feeling of security as there was no code of
confidentiality read to them to understand the consent, privacy of the conversations
they had (like the privacy rules we usually hear while making a payment via the phone, or
calling your bank, or even making a purchase). Not forgetting that these make up what
gives the researcher a distinctive research, and the patients a feeling of privacy.

How might a qualitative approach be useful for the research topic you chose in Week 1?

A qualitative approach is useful in my research topic, ‘Human relations’, as it bothers on
the motivation the patients get to stay healthy; the words spoken to them, data
collected, the observations of both the researcher and patients, the narrative and
approach that was used to get the patients to speak, hence making the researcher obtain
insights on how they felt, and their experiences.

References
American Psychological Association.
(2017).
Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, Amended June
1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspxLinks to an
external site..

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed method approaches (5th ed.). SAGE.
Hare DL, Toukhsati SR, Johansson P, Jaarsma
T.
Depression and cardiovascular disease: a clinical
review.
Eur Heart J. 2014;35(21):1365-72

After reading your colleague’s critique of the published

qualitative study, consider the following in your reply:
1) Do you agree with your colleague’s assessment of the assigned

study? Why or why not?

2) What evidence of reflexivity do you see (if any) that your colleague

has not mentioned?

3) What ethical implications has your colleague described? Are there

any other potential ethical issues your colleague has not mentioned?

4) What suggestions can you offer about a qualitative research design

for your colleague’s research topic?

DISCUSSION 2 (Kassandra) (MINIMUM OF 300 WORDS)

REPLY TO MY CLASSMATE’S DISCUSSION BY

ANSWERING THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS

What is the research question? How does a qualitative research question differ from the
research question in a quantitative study?

A quantitative research question aims to understand the relationship between variables
where a qualitative research question aims to identify a central question and smaller sub
questions to study a phenomenon or concept (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The research
question in this article is, “How does an internet based CBT program help patients with
cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression?”. Unlike quantitative research studies,
qualitative research does not include hypotheses because there are no predictions of
outcomes (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). This study aimed to see how the internet based
program affected those with CVD and depression.

What procedure was used to recruit participants for the sample? Was the sample size
appropriate? Why or why not?

A randomized control trial was used that included patients 18 years and older, receiving
CVD treatment and with at least mild depression (Westas et al., 2022). The randomized
control trial was used to reduce selection bias. The study also included people who did
the maximum number of modules and the ending sample size was 20 (Westas et al.,
2022). This was an appropriate sample size because the study aimed to understand the
experience of the participants which requires a small sample size with in depth
questions. The phenomenological approach helps understand the lived experience of
those being studied (Urcia, 2021). This study aimed to understand participants with CVD
and depression and the impact the iCBT program had on their experiences.

What do you think the researcher’s paradigm was?

The paradigm in a study is composed of 2 factors, epistemology which is the belief in
how knowledge is acquired and ontology which is the nature of how truth and reality are
identified for an individual or group (Urcia, 2021). The paradigm in this research study
was constructivism. The constructivist paradigm or worldview states that humans
interpret meaning through their lived experiences (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The study
utilized interviews with open ended questions to truly understand the participants
individual experience with the iCBT program.

What evidence of reflexivity do you see in the research report?

In qualitative research, reflexivity is important to ensure the background and prior
experiences of the researchers does not interfere with the direction or interpretation of
the research (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The researchers in this article demonstrated
reflexivity in their approach by having the interviews conducted from a nurse in the
medical field that could help understand the answers but did not have any connection to
the participants. They also conducted a process where multiple researchers were utilized
to identify themes in the research and reduce selective perception. Also, the themes
were reviewed several times by all of the researchers until an agreement was made.

What ethical considerations were mentioned in the research report? What applicable
ethical considerations can you think of that were not mentioned by the researchers?

The telephone interviews were used in the study to reduce the likelihood that the
participants would see the emotional distress from the interviewer (Westas et al., 2022).
The participants were also provided with written informed consent and the data was
collected utilizing appropriate methods The study was approved prior since it is using
human participants. The study did not mention debriefing of the participants which I feel
is essential in research studies.

How might a qualitative approach be useful for the research topic you chose in Week 1?

I plan to use a qualitative approach for my study because it is aimed at understanding the
experiences of the participants. My research study is about how parenting styles in
childhood affect adult interpersonal relationships.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE.
Urcia, I. A. (2021). Comparisons of adaptations in grounded theory and phenomenology:
Selecting the specific qualitative research methodologyLinks to an external
site.. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 1–14.

https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211045474
Westas, M., Mourad, G., Andersson, G., Neher, M., Lundgren, J., & Johansson, P. (2022).
The experience of participating in an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy
program among patients with cardiovascular disease and depression: A qualitative
interview study. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 294. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-
03939-7Links to an external site.