Thinking about Grounded Theory

I began this course with very little knowledge of grounded theory, although I had heard in the past that it wasn’t objective, rigorous or systematic enough to result in valid conclusions. However, Charmaz (2014) quickly convinced me of its value as a systematic, flexible, inductive and comparative method that encouraged exploration and resulted in theory formation. By exploring the development of the grounded theory method, Charmaz demonstrated how these methods arose to address some problems with the usual methods of research used in the social sciences that focused on verification rather than theory formation. Grounded theory methods address problems such as the fact that many theories are too abstract, speculative or unapplicable, and other situations where the data that was generated was descriptive with no analysis to tie it together. In contrast, grounded theory arises from robust data in real-world situations, and guides the development of new theories. After these readings I see grounded theory methods as important tools to explore a topic that can lead to deepening knowledge and theory formation.

In Unit 2, the unique characteristics of grounded theory are considered in greater detail. Charmaz (2014) explains that grounded theory research is a search for “rich data” (p. 19) that is in depth enough to provide insights about feelings, views, intentions and actions. This requires that researchers are aware of “multiple views of a participant’s range of actions” (Charmaz, 2014, p. 19) in order to generate thick descriptions and thorough narratives. Researchers also need to write “extensive field notes of observation” (Charmaz, 2014, p. 14). This information collected through coding and memos is used to develop analytical categories that facilitate the comparison of data to refine it and develop new ideas. Being unfamiliar with the actual strategies, these processes felt a bit onerous and I worried whether I could successfully extract any useful concepts from the data. Compared to the recipe-like nature of the deductive methods I am more familiar with, this new way felt overwhelming.

What eased my anxiety was Charmaz’ contention staying open-minded and flexible is more important than the actual methods. Both Charmaz (2014) and Stebbins (2001) emphasize the importance of engagement. Stebbins (2001) explains that exploratory research is an attitude of discovery that will make the research process more meaningful and enjoyable, naturally leading to further insights. Stebbins also introduces the concept of concatenation that helped me to understand that while grounded theory methods may lead to new or better frameworks of understanding, a single study doesn’t have to provide a brand-new overarching theory. After these readings, I felt eager to learn more about the actual methods in the following chapters and trying out grounded research for myself.

Unit 3 provided the instructions for this methodology. What became clearer is the iterative nature of grounded theory methods; it is a process of constant comparison that guides the identification of patterns that lead to new theories. This is done by reviewing each line, sentence or paragraph segments in the data and assigning codes that fit the concepts suggested by the data. The codes that are identified are constantly compared to other codes to identify similarities, differences, and patterns. This coding process is accompanied by memo writing, an important step in which the researcher converses with themself to hone the material further. Memo-writing also creates a record that can be returned to as research progresses and can provide information for writing drafts of papers. There are a variety of types of memos about observations, methods, concepts and theories, and personal memos that the researcher uses to record impressions and details about the logistics of the research process. As a result of detailed engagement with the data, constant comparisons, and identifying logical associations, certain themes emerge. As the process progresses, themes become more abstract until they form into major ideas that are rooted in the specific evidence provided by the data. When additional data no longer uncovers new ideas, the coding process is complete. While the explanation of this process seemed simple, Charmaz challenges researchers not to consider the data only in light of the theoretical elements we think they may indicate. Rather, it is important to view the data as something new. I recognize that I have to be careful not to do this, since I know a lot about this topic and could unconsciously look for confirmation of my implicit biases.

In the final unit of this stage of the course, Stebbins argues that to be effective, an exploratory researcher needs to be passionate, accepting of ambiguity, flexible, and able to equally demonstrate strong skills in research, writing and theory production. Reflecting on my own skills and limitations related to this form of research, I recognize I am curious about subjects that interest me, however I am also easily distracted. I enjoy working alone on projects and have strong writing and research skills. I am passionate about the topic I will be exploring, since I have children with FASD and am always eager to discover insights that make supporting them easier or more effective. I realize I need to learn to feel comfortable with the less structured nature of grounded research.

In tandem to completing the work in this stage of the course, I spent much time considering what topic I would like to pursue for the final research paper.  At first, choosing a research topic seemed quite overwhelming and impossible. The challenges of choosing a topic were compounded by the realization that due to the scope of the course, it is preferred to choose data that doesn’t require ethics board approval. Charmaz (2014) and Stebbins (2001) both also contend that the best topic is one that the researcher already has some familiarity with, as personal experience is both motivating and informing.

With these boundaries in mind, I began considering what would be an appropriate topic. As I used to be a college instructor in a Disability Studies program, I began exploring the possibility of researching the experiences of individuals with disabilities in college environments. I had read about this topic in the past, and knew that there wasn’t a significant amount of research about their everyday experiences. Unfortunately, I had difficulty finding enough data on this specific topic. Since I am the parent of two adult children with disabilities, I am also interested in how individual with disabilities develop identity related to their disability. This topic interests me because I had begun seeking information about this process when my children were teenagers, and found very little information to help me guide them. Since my children both have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), I decided to focus on this disability in particular. Dr. Wilde agreed that this topic would be suitable, however when I started looking at the data, another interesting topic came to light.  While there has been research on how birth mothers who have children with FASD feel about themselves and about the stigma they face, there doesn’t seem to be much information about how the person affected feels about their birth mother.  My children both struggled to accept that their disability was caused by drinking during pregnancy and how they felt towards their birth mother as a result. In consultation with Dr. Wilde, I decided to explore the research question “What are the factors in the experience and thought processes of people with FASD that contribute to their perceptions and feelings toward their birth mothers?"

It was soon clear that the challenge was going to be finding material where people with FASD discussed their feelings towards their birthmothers. Although it is frequently mentioned or alluded to in testimonies, it is rarely discussed in detail. I found some discussions about it in some videos listed on the Center for Disease Control website (2022), and more in a book of testimonies published by the Saskatchewan Fetal Alcohol network ((n.d.). I will continue to seek out further discussions about this topic as I begin to progress through the research.  I intend to begin by rereading the instructions for coding in Charmaz (2014), and then try out the process myself. I am very interested in this topic since it relates so personally to struggles my own children have faced, and I am therefore very eager to begin the research process.

 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 18). FASDs: My story. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/stories.html

Charmaz, k. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. Los Angeles: Sage.

Stebbins, R. (2001). Exploratory Research in the Social Sciences. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

FASD: Unexpected Journeys (n.d). Regina: Saskatchewan Fetal Alcohol Network.