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Nuance, Complexity, and Context: Qualitative Methods in Genetic Counseling Research
Author(s) -
Beeson Diane
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of genetic counseling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1573-3599
pISSN - 1059-7700
DOI - 10.1023/a:1025659701805
Subject(s) - qualitative research , interview , genetic counseling , participatory action research , context (archaeology) , focus group , variety (cybernetics) , action research , action (physics) , meaning (existential) , narrative , psychology , engineering ethics , management science , sociology , computer science , psychotherapist , social science , pedagogy , genetics , artificial intelligence , paleontology , linguistics , physics , philosophy , quantum mechanics , anthropology , engineering , economics , biology
Because of its potential for capturing complexity and process and its focus on communicating the meaning in human action, qualitative research is rapidly gaining acceptance in a wide variety of disciplines. Various qualitative approaches to research support its potential usefulness in genetic counseling research. Formulation of research questions and selection of appropriate qualitative methods are the first step. Interviewing, narrative analysis, focus groups, ethnography/participant observation, and participatory action research are only some of the most popular techniques that may be suitable in various situations. Processes of evaluation, analysis, and even ethical issues often differ somewhat from quantitative research. This article discusses these issues and the potential value of qualitative methods for research related to genetic counseling.