Colin MacDougall

Multiple methods in qualitative research with children: more insight or just more?

This article explores the research implications of using multi-methods within a broad qualitative approach by drawing on the experience of conducting two childhood obesity-focused qualitative studies of Australian children’s perceptions and experiences of place, space and physical activity. Children described and depicted their physical activities and experiences: in focus group interviews, by mapping their local, social and recreational spaces and by photographing their meaningful places, spaces and activities using a Photovoice approach. The authors describe, reflect on and critique their chosen research approach, discussing the value, utility and pitfalls associated with using multiple methods with children. The article concludes that using multiple methods in researching children’s experiences is a valuable approach that does not merely duplicate data but also offers complementary insights and understandings that may be difficult to access through reliance on a single method of data collection.

Participatory action research

This glossary aims to clarify some of the key concepts associated with participatory action research.

Planning and Recruiting the Sample for Focus Groups and In-Depth Interviews

In this article, the authors address the importance of sampling and recruiting for focus groups and in-depth interviews. They draw on a synthesis of the literature and their research experience and propose a three-stage checklist summarizing strategies that worked for them and addressed some of the problems described in the literature. The strategies proposed involve the three stages of prepare, contact, and follow-up. The prepare stage involves finding information sources and key contacts or champions, discovering related projects, and drafting alternative samples. The contact stage involves negotiation with key contacts and potential participants, confirmation, and plans for continued involvement. The follow-up stage involves feedback and continuing links in public events, action, and advocacy resulting from the research. The preparation and follow-up stages can require considerable time and resources, which, if not available within grants, can be provided through partnerships with community agencies or by seeking supplementary resources.

Increasing school playground physical activity: A mixed methods study combining environmental measures and children's perspectives

Schools are integral settings in which children can participate in moderate and vigorous physical activity. This study reports on the relationship between playground characteristics and child activity levels using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The aim of the study is to increase understanding of how children respond to their school playground environments. Twenty-three primary schools located in a predominantly low socio-economic area of Melbourne, Australia were involved. SOPLAY (System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth) was administered in all 23 schools to measure the levels of student physical activity and playground environmental factors such as equipment provision. In 12 of the 23 schools, a sample of 9-11-year-old students participated in focus group discussions exploring perceptions of their school playgrounds using a photo ordering technique. A larger proportion of students participated in VPA when loose equipment (60% vs. 52%; p<0.001) and teacher supervision (62% vs. 52%; p<0.001) were present in activity settings, compared to when they were unavailable. Fixed play equipment and bitumen with court/play-line markings were seen by children as settings inviting active play but only had the greatest impact on moderate activity (fixed play equipment: 35% vs. 20%, p<0.001; court markings/goals: 62% vs. 52%, p<0.001; play-line markings: 25% vs. 20%, p=0.04). The mixed method design provided a greater understanding of the potential influence of environmental characteristics on childrens lunch time activity levels and their perceptions of play areas. The findings indicate that relatively simple changes such as the provision of loose equipment, painting of court and play-line markings, and increased teacher presence on the playground, are likely to provide opportunities for increased physical activity.

The Devil's Advocate: A Strategy to Avoid Groupthink and Stimulate Discussion in Focus Groups

The focus group is an increasingly popular qualitative research method in health research to gain insight into complex problems. Concerns have been expressed about how best to stimulate free and open discussion; especially on controversial issues and/or when the group comprises people with different power and status. A potential pitfall of the focus group technique is group-think: the impact of censoring and conforming as described by such social psychologists as Irving Janis. The article describes an evaluation of a method to reduce groupthink and stimulate creativity and controversy in focus groups that analyzed consultation between an Australian federal government department and its communities. The article recommends to researchers using focus groups the selective use of devils advocates to reflect different perspectives to groups, to ask questions in a different way, to introduce new questions, and to avoid groups arriving at premature solutions.

Professional issues for physiotherapists in family-centred and community-based settings

This paper reports results from a qualitative study of physiotherapists in a community-based and family-centred setting in which a growing awareness of the family-centred approach accompanied the transition from an institutional structure to a predominantly community-based structure. The goal was to gain insight into how a family-centred philosophy was working and to explore the benefits and dilemmas for physiotherapists in such a setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 physiotherapists working with children with disabilities. Analysis of the results against a continuum of family control versus physiotherapist control showed that physiotherapists saw their roles as working with the family to discuss shared goals. However, qualitative analyses showed tensions between the policy of family involvement and another influential policy in physiotherapy: evidence-based practice. Further, there were tensions if the desires of the family could not be matched with available resources. The results show benefits and barriers to working in a community-based, family-centred approach. Barriers included practical dilemmas, policy dilemmas, and career dilemmas. This paper argues that, while family-centred practice is supported by the literature and physiotherapists, significant policy and professional issues need to be addressed before such practice can be fully adopted.

We have to live in the future

Governments and health authorities are expressing concern about increasing levels of obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity in children. In response to such concerns, it is common to adapt strategies for adults to children, and to conduct adult‐focused research. This paper describes a research study commissioned by the South Australian government that sought to involve children aged younger than 12 years in defining their meanings and views about physical activity. The research is being used to plan strategies to increase children’s participation in physical activity. The qualitative study combined focus groups, drawing and mapping techniques and photographic methods with 204 children aged 4–12 years in metropolitan and rural South Australia. This paper reports results from two of the research questions: What are children’s theories of physical activity, play and sport? What do children want to tell adults? Results indicate that children were enthusiastic participants in the research and appreciated the opportunity to communicate their views. The terms ‘physical activity’ and ‘exercise’ had little meaning for children, who described them as terms adults use. ‘Play’ and ‘sport’ had powerful, contrasting meanings for children: with ‘play’ child‐centred and ‘sport’ controlled by adults. Children had mixed views on the power of sporting heroes as role models, on computers and television as the enemy of physical activity and on links between physical activity and health status. The research demonstrates that children bring to the discourse about physical activity some ideas that challenge the views adults hold about children. It is recommended that strategies to increase children’s participation in physical activity are designed using research with children.

Relating physical activity to health status, social connections and community facilities

Abstract: An important public health goal is to increase the populations participation in regular, moderate physical activity. Descriptive epidemiological studies that focus only on associations between physical activity and demographic and psychological factors are not sufficient to inform exercise promotion strategies, and a broader view of health is required. This study investigates the additional factors of health status, social connections and satisfaction with local area facilities by analysing data from a 1987 community health survey of 1765 residents of Adelaide. Factors associated with low activity were age group, education, general health (women), reduced mobility, number of social connections (men) and degree of satisfaction with recreation facilities. Including social and structural factors is valuable for research into interventions, policy and theory relating to physical activity as it brings theoretical perspectives and links to other areas of public health and social research. (Aust N Z J Public Health 1997; 21: 631–7)

What are our boundaries and where can we play? Perspectives from eight‐ to ten‐year‐old Australian metropolitan and rural children

This study took place in an inner metropolitan Adelaide school and a rural school on Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast. We compare 33 eight‐ to 10‐year‐old children’s accounts of what the area is like for them. What are the rules and boundaries and who sets them? Metropolitan children were found to have tighter boundaries and required adult supervision to use facilities that rural children could use unsupervised. Rural children negotiated freedom of movement by considering broad principles about safety. Findings increase our understanding of how children perceive movement within their communities, and suggest policies and environmental changes to increase freedom of movement. Study findings raise concerns about the way the environment is designed for social planning, and the importance of children’s engagement and interaction with the natural environment.

Extending new paradigm childhood research: meeting the challenges of including younger children

This special issue of Early Child Development and Care could not be more timely. In focusing on the issues involved in researching the views and experiences of young children, we are engaging with ...