Qualitative Research Findings Research Articles

Designed Generalization from Qualitative Research

In our earlier work on generalizing from qualitative research (GQR) we identified our two-decade struggle to have qualitative research outcomes formally “listened to” by policy personnel and bureaucratic systems in general, with mixed success. The policy sector often seems reluctant to acknowledge that qualitative research findings can be generalized, so impacts tend to be informal or simply ignored. The “official” methodological literature on generalizing from qualitative research is epitomized by Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) still oft quoted, “The only generalization is: there is no generalization” (p. 110). We now understand there are many alternative possibilities for generalizing. In this paper we hope to provide a platform for discussion on GQR. We suggest Normative Truth Statements (NTS) as a foundation. NTSs, used in our proposed generalizability cycle, are a potential key to ensuring designated qualitative research methodology provides a capacity for generalization—and therefore be considered as a valid form of evidence in policy decisions. In other words, we need a platform to articulate how to design qualitative research to maximize the type and scope of generalizability outcomes, referred to here as Designed Generalization from Qualitative Research (DGQR). Five steps of DGQR, using progressive NTSs in the generalizability cycle, are proposed as a way forward in understanding how generalizing from qualitative research may be made more transparent, accountable, and useful. The five steps are illustrated by reference to two example studies.

Investigation into Labor Market Segmentation in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of Denizli City

Bu çalışmanın amacı, tabakalı işgücü piyasası kuramının ortaya attığı; “iyi iş” – “kötü iş” ayrımını inşaat sektörü özelinde değerlendirip, kuramın geçerliliğini Türkiye örneği ile ortaya koymaktır. Çalışmada nitel ve nicel araştırma yöntemleri bir arada kullanılmıştır. Nitel araştırma kapsamında Denizli ilinde, inşaat sektöründe faaliyet gösteren, iki ayrı inşaat firmasında çalışan 16 kişi ile derinlemesine mülakat yapılmıştır. Nicel araştırma kapsamında ise; Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu 2016 yılı Hane Halkı İşgücü Anketi Mikro Veri Setinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırmanın nicel bulgularına göre; Türkiye’de inşaat sektöründe çalışanların %95,9’u kötü işte çalışmaktadır. Araştırmanın nitel bulgularına göre ise iyi iş; yüksek ücretli, fiziki güç gerektirmeyen, sosyal etkinliklerin, çalışanına değer veren işverenlerin, sorumluluğun ve saygınlığın olduğu, kişinin kendisini geliştirebildiği, sosyal ihtiyaçlarının karşılanabildiği ve işyerinde aidiyet hissinin yaratılabildiği iştir. Kötü iş ise; düşük ücretli, fiziki güç gerektiren, kayıt dışı çalışmanın, mobbingin ve fazla mesainin söz konusu olduğu, çalışma koşullarının ve çalışanların görev tanımlarının belirgin olmadığı, çalışanların sorunlarını ifade edemediği ve meslek hastalığı riski ile karşılaşabildiği iştir.

A New Way with Words: Bringing Qualitative Research Findings to Action.

The use of arts-based knowledge translation (KT) methods such as video remains underutilized in the research arena, despite the strong influence and reach of technology in society. This paper provides a detailed description of the process involved in producing a video as a novel KT strategy to respond to and address findings from our research on professional socialization experiences of physiotherapy students. Specifically, the video challenged dominant stereotypes regarding the profession by depicting the realities and rewards of modern physiotherapy practice. Using a guiding KT framework, this paper provides insight on how researchers can disseminate their study findings in an impactful way using multimedia. Creative outlets such as video and social media are innovative dissemination tools that enable KT to have a powerful and lasting impact.

Qualitative Research in CKD: How to Appraise and Interpret the Evidence

Qualitative Research in CKD: How to Appraise and Interpret the Evidence

Experiences of older adults accessing specialized health care services in rural and remote areas: a qualitative systematic review.

The objective of this review was to synthesize the literature on the experiences of older adults accessing specialized health care services while living in remote or rural areas. Older persons with chronic illnesses often need specialized health care services. Those who live in remote or rural areas may have limited access to these specialized health care services, potentially leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the experiences of older adults accessing specialized health care services while living in remote or rural areas. This review considered studies of persons 65 years and older who have self-identified as living in remote or rural areas. They will have, on at least one occasion, sought access in person to specialized health care services for a chronic condition such as cardiovascular disease, renal disease, diabetes, cancer, mental illness, or a major health concern beyond the scope of a primary care clinician, such as palliative care. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies in English from 1980 onward. An initial limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken in February 2017, followed by analysis of the text words contained in the title and abstract, and of the index terms used to describe the articles. This informed the development of a search strategy, which was tailored for each information source. The search was first conducted in December 2018 and rerun in November 2019. The databases searched included CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and AgeLine. The search for unpublished studies included ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Google Scholar, and MedNar. Papers meeting the inclusion criteria were appraised by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. Data extraction was conducted according to the standardized data extraction tool from JBI. The qualitative research findings were pooled using the JBI method of meta-aggregation. Three papers were included in the review yielding a total of five findings and two categories. The categories were aggregated to form one synthesized finding: Distance often results in challenges accessing health care. For almost all older adults, the long distance to drive for specialized services was a barrier, especially for those living far out in the country, and led to delayed care. Lack of health education and peer support was also viewed as an issue. For one older adult, however, the distance was not seen as an issue; rather, it was viewed as an opportunity to enjoy time with family members. Participants noted that they had access to emergency care and, therefore, believed they were not putting their lives at risk by living in a rural area. The overall ConQual score was low. We believe that the distance to travel to obtain specialized services, as well as living in an area without specialized services, impacted this population's experience of obtaining specialized health care as well as their health. The spectrum of findings for our synthesized finding suggests that this was the case for some people, but not all. We speculate that people who have chosen to live outside an urban area or have lived in a rural area for a prolonged period come to accept their access to health care, including the distance to travel for health care and their potential for this to impact their health. The findings also suggest the older adults have a range of experiences; for some, distance was an issue and for others, it was not an issue. Some participants found living in a rural area impacted their care while others did not.

Factors affecting ICT integration in TURKISH education: a systematic review

This research aims to reveal factors affecting Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) integration in learning environments in Turkey. The meta-synthesis method is used to make in-depth analysis and to interpret qualitative research findings on this issue. Through inclusion and exclusion criteria, 60 studies among 907 candidate studies accessed from databases named Web of Science, Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) and the Turkish Academic Network and Information Center (ULAKBIM) are included in this research. As a result of analyses, it is revealed that ICT integration into learning environments in Turkey is affected by five factors; students, educational material, infrastructure, management, and teachers. Considering these factors, it has been found that certain factors become prominent namely: the ICT and pedagogy competence of teachers; students’ ICT competence; a lack of technical equipment and technical support; a lack of educational materials; the attitudes of school administrators; and the quality and lack of in-service training for ICT. It is concluded that the factors affecting the ICT integration in education are directly or indirectly related to each other, and that ICT integration should be addressed with all its stakeholders and phases as a whole.

„Szansa – nowe możliwości dla dorosłych”. Założenia i realizacja projektu w obszarze rozwijania umiejętności podstawowych

The aim of the article is to present the premises of the project “A Chance – New Opportunities for Adults” and the main findings of qualitative research which included individual in-depth interviews with representatives of 50 institutions offering support to adults with low levels of basic skills. The aim of the study was to diagnose the types of support provided and to identify good practices. We verified the effective ways of reaching potential beneficiaries, accurately diagnosing their skills and needs, and encouraging participation in activities providing educational support. The survey confirmed that the understanding of “low basic skills” varies greatly depending on the type of organisation surveyed. It also showed that the Internet and word-of-mouth marketing remain the main sources of information for beneficiaries about available support. Adults with low basic skills often have problems with being motivated to develop and to participate in longer forms of support (such as courses lasting several months). At the same time, participants who covered (even a small part) of the training costs on their own and those who were internally motivated to change their situation (e.g. willingness to change jobs) were more involved in the educational activities and assessed their effects as being more permanent. The implementation of the project “A Chance – New Opportunities for Adults” is a response to the Recommendation of the Council of the European Union on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults of 2016. The Council of the EU recommends that Member States offer low-skilled adults access to upskilling pathways consisting of three steps: skills assessment, tailormade learning support, and the validation of learning outcomes. Basic skills are defined in the project as: literacy, numeracy, digital skills, and social competences. At the end of the project, recommendations for developing the basic skills of adults will be made. The project is implemented by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (leader) and the Educational Research Institute (partner). The article presents key documents compiled to support potential grantees, including ten sets of learning outcomes, guidelines for assessing the skills and needs of adults with low basic skills, as well as guidelines for conducting the validation of learning outcomes.

Online Mental Health Animations for Young People: Qualitative Empirical Thematic Analysis and Knowledge Transfer.

BackgroundMental ill-health is one of the most significant health and social issues affecting young people globally. To address the mental health crisis, a number of cross-sectoral research and action priorities have been identified. These include improving mental health literacy, translating research findings into accessible public health outputs, and the use of digital technologies. There are, however, few examples of public health–oriented knowledge transfer activities involving collaborations between researchers, the Arts, and online platforms in the field of youth mental health.ObjectiveThe primary aim of this project was to translate qualitative research findings into a series of online public mental health animations targeting young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years. A further aim was to track online social media engagement and viewing data for the animations for a period of 12 months.MethodsQualitative data were collected from a sample of 17 youth in Ireland, aged 18-21 years, as part of the longitudinal population-based Adolescent Brain Development study. Interviews explored the life histories and the emotional and mental health of participants. The narrative analysis revealed 5 thematic findings relating to young people’s emotional and mental health. Through a collaboration between research, the Arts, and the online sector, the empirical thematic findings were translated into 5 public health animations. The animations were hosted and promoted on 3 social media platforms of the Irish youth health website called SpunOut. Viewing data, collected over a 12-month period, were analyzed to determine the reach of the animations.ResultsNarrative thematic analysis identified anxiety, depression, feeling different, loneliness, and being bullied as common experiences for young people. These thematic findings formed the basis of the animations. During the 12 months following the launch of the animations, they were viewed 15,848 times. A majority of views occurred during the period of the social media ad campaign at a cost of €0.035 (approximately US $0.042) per view. Animations on feeling different and being bullied accounted for the majority of views.ConclusionsThis project demonstrates that online animations provide an accessible means of translating empirical research findings into meaningful public health outputs. They offer a cost-effective way to provide targeted online information about mental health, coping, and help-seeking to young people. Cross-sectoral collaboration is required to leverage the knowledge and expertise required to maximize the quality and potential reach of any knowledge transfer activities. A high level of engagement is possible by targeting non–help-seeking young people on their native social media platforms. Paid promotion is, therefore, an important consideration when budgeting for online knowledge translation and dissemination activities in health research.

Development of a web tool to increase research literacy in underserved populations through public library partnerships.

ObjectiveInadequate diversity in clinical trials is widely recognized as a significant contributing factor to health disparities experienced by racial/ethnic minorities and other diverse populations in the US. To address this in a scalable way, we sought to develop a web tool that could help enhance underserved minority participation in clinical research.MethodsWe used our research literacy support flashcard tool as the initial prototype for human-centered design and usability testing of the web tool Health for All in public library settings. After forming partnerships with leadership from Chicago Public Libraries (CPL), local medical libraries, and the Chicago Department of Public Health, we conducted seven iterative design sessions with focus groups of library patrons and library staff from six CPL branches serving underserved communities followed by two rounds of usability testing and website modification.ResultsBased on the qualitative research findings from Design Sessions 1–7, we enacted the design decision of a website that was a hybrid of fact-filled and vignette (personal stories) paper prototypes divided into 4 modules (trust, diversity, healthy volunteers, pros/cons), each with their own outcome metrics. The website was thus constructed, and navigation issues identified in two rounds of usability testing by library patrons were addressed through further website modification, followed by the launch of a beta version of a hybridized single-scrolling and guided module prototype to allow further development with website analytics.ConclusionsWe report the development of Health for All, a website designed to enhance racial/ethnic minority participation in clinical trials by imparting research literacy, mitigating distrust engendered by longstanding racism and discrimination, and providing connections to clinical trials recruiting participants.

Joint displays for qualitative-quantitative synthesis in mixed methods reviews

Mixed methods reviews offer an excellent approach to synthesizing qualitative and quantitative evidence to generate more robust implications for practice, research, and policymaking. There are limited guidance and practical examples concerning the methods for adequately synthesizing qualitative and quantitative research findings in mixed reviews. This paper aims to illustrate the application and use of joint displays for qualitative and quantitative synthesis in mixed methods reviews. We used joint displays to synthesize and integrate qualitative and quantitative research findings in a segregated mixed methods review about male nursing students' challenges and experiences. In total, 36 qualitative, six quantitative, and one mixed-methods study was appraised and synthesized in the review. First, the qualitative and quantitative findings were analyzed and synthesized separately. The synthesized findings were integrated through tabular and visual joint displays at two levels of integration. At the first level, a statistics theme display was developed to compare the synthesized qualitative and quantitative findings and the number of studies from which the findings were generated. At the second level, the synthesized qualitative and quantitative findings supported by each other were integrated to identify confirmed, discordant, and expanded inferences using generalizing theme display. The use of two displays allowed in a robust and comprehensive synthesis of studies. Joint displays could serve as an excellent method for rigorous and transparent synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings and the generation of adequate and relevant inferences in mixed methods reviews.

Exploring peoples’ lived experience of complex regional pain syndrome in Australia: a qualitative study

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a persistent pain condition which is often misunderstood and poorly managed. Qualitative studies are needed to explore the lived experience of the condition and to better understand patient perspectives on their management experiences and needs. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of CRPS in Australia, including exploration of their perceptions of care and advice received from healthcare professionals. A qualitative study with individual in-depth semi-structured, face-to-face interviews was performed (n=15, 80% female, average time elapsed since diagnosis 3.8 years). Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Four main themes with associated subthemes were identified, representing the participants' journey: (1) Life Changing Impact of CRPS (Subthemes: Impact on self, Impact on others); (2) Variable Experiences of Care (Subthemes: Helpful experiences of care, Unhelpful experiences of care); (3) Making Sense of CRPS (Subthemes: Knowledge and understanding, Dealing with unpredictability); and (4) Perceptions on Lessons Learned from Living with CRPS (Subthemes: Acceptance was an important part of the journey, Trial and error was necessary to find an individual way forward, Coping strategies). The themes identified align to and expand on prior qualitative research findings in people with CRPS. It highlights the challenges people face related to their personal self, their close relationships and their social and work roles. It highlights the difficulties these people have in finding reliable, trust-worthy information. These findings suggest that healthcare professionals may benefit from education about how to better support people with CRPS, including helping people to navigate to the right care. Engaging people with CRPS in the development of educational resources should be a future research goal. It is recommended that patient perspectives are incorporated into the development of care pathways for CRPS.

Foreign-Born Scholars and Academic Entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe

The main aim of this paper is to discuss the findings of qualitative research on academic entrepreneurship among foreign-born scholars in Eastern Europe, a region suffering from a lack of empirical studies on this topic. The academics raised and educated abroad are often perceived as a key nexus in the knowledge transfer and innovative economy in the global academic supercenters, such as the USA, Canada, or Germany. On the contrary, this paper argues that in Eastern Europe, the role of foreign-born academics is very different. Due to structural factors such as a limited number of potential entrepreneurs, the traditional academic entrepreneurship in the form of spin-offs and start-ups is virtually nonexistent. Some academics, however, get involved in academic entrepreneurial activities in the broader sense of this term. Based on 140 individual in-depth interviews and selected success stories, the paper argues that in Poland and Slovakia, special circumstances have created characteristic forms of entrepreneurship (e.g., the “academization” of industrial knowledge). At the same time, the potential remains largely untapped. Institutional barriers to entrepreneurship (lack of special policies pertaining to foreign-born scholars, unfriendly officials, and political climate) are thoroughly discussed in the concluding section.

Positive Relationships Questionnaire (PRQ): A Pilot Study

“Positive relationship” is a term frequently used, as synonymous to close, meaningful, supportive or important relationships. However, the characteristics of a relationship characterized as positive have not yet been fully examined and described. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of a new instrument for measuring the characteristics of positive relationships. The Positive Relationships Questionnaire (PRQ) is a 35-item self-report instrument that evaluates the quality of positive relationships as well as the conditions that people need to offer and/or provide to others in order to have positive relationships. Its 35 items were drawn from the findings of previous qualitative research and are grouped into three broad categories: positive emotions, active contribution and readiness to support. A total of 331 adults, aged from 17 to 57 years old completed the PRQ and the PERMA Profiler. The findings showed that PRQ has good internal consistency and its factor structure includes four factors: self-improvement, practical support, emotional support, and shared enjoyment. All factors were found to have high correlations with the two domains of PERMA, positive emotions and re-lationships, and low to moderate correlations with engagement, meaning, and accomplishment. These results provide initial evidence of satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. PRQ is a useful instrument. It provides a quantitative evaluation of the quality and content of positive relationships and can be used broadly as a wellbeing index.

Nursing Care in the Functional Disabilities of the Elderly in Primary Health Care: Systematic Review with Meta-Synthesis

When considering the elderly, we must realize the profound particularities in their daily lives, because the elderly has vulnerabilities that result from the aging process. This study aims to develop a systematic review followed by meta-synthesis based on the findings of qualitative primary scientific research, on nursing care in the face of Functional Incapacity of the Elderly in Primary Health Care starting with the research question: How does the nursing care process for elderly people with functional incapacity occur in primary health care? This is a systematic literature review with the elaboration of meta-synthesis. The search for the articles occurred in the databases of the Regional Portal VHL (Virtual Health Library); Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD); PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The sample consisted of seven original articles of qualitative methodology, one of which was a mixed method. Data analysis followed the guidance of content analysis. The thematic category was identified: The process of nursing care for elderly patients with functional incapacity focuses on primary health care. It was concluded that nurses take care of elderly people with functional incapacity in the basic health unit, at home and in nursing homes, evaluating, planning, and implementing activities that prevent risks, treat complaints and integrate these elderly people into community projects. This care is performed through nursing consultation, integrated into programs, and using tools and protocols.

Factors that sustain Indigenous youth mentoring programs: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

This qualitative systematic review aims to identify the barriers and enablers to delivering and sustaining Indigenous youth mentoring programs for improving mental health and reducing suicide rates. The United Nations has called for global action to address Indigenous youth suicide and suicidal behavior. Indigenous youth mentoring programs aimed at improving mental health and reducing suicide rates have been conducted at smaller scales at other sites. Mentoring is culturally appropriate as it empowers communities and aligns with the principles of community, teaching and learning, kinship, and holistic health. There is a gap in the understanding of what the barriers and enablers of mentoring are in addressing Indigenous youth mental health and, ultimately, Indigenous youth suicide. This review will consider studies that include mentoring programs specifically targeted at Indigenous youth mental health and well-being that are based within a community or organization setting. Databases to be searched include CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Embase, as well as grey literature within Trove, OpenGrey, Indigenous HealthInfoNet, and Informit Indigenous Collection. The search will be limited to articles written in English and published from 2007 to the present. Titles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers; full-text studies will be retrieved and assessed against the inclusion criteria. Results will be recorded in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagram. Where possible, qualitative research findings will be pooled. Where textual pooling is not possible, the findings will be presented in narrative form.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: economic insecurity and coping strategies of Italian households

PurposeThis paper offers a contribution to the authors’ understanding of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on living conditions of Italian households. A large part of the research, analysis, comments focused on the relation between the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and income of the Italian households does not capture the extent of the current changes. The focus on the highly differentiated impacts of the pandemic on three core dimensions of social integration (the sphere of work, that of welfare and that of the family) could help the authors to grasp the current transformations.Design/methodology/approachThe research draws on Castel's distinction between three “zones” of post-Fordist employment societies with the aim to identify the processes and the conditions that carry individuals from one “zones” to the other. Theoretical considerations are supported by the findings of several qualitative and quantitative research carried out during the pandemic mainly by government agencies and international organizations as OECD and WHO. The analysis of healthcare expenditure, labour market and economic conditions of households is based on data of system of health accounts – SHA and from consumer studies undertaken by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). The data on the financial situation and expectations of households during the crisis used in the article were drawn from special surveys carried out by the Bank of Italy.FindingsWhat the authors observe in Italian society is not a collapse of the three pillars of social and system integration of contemporary societies: work, family and welfare. The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed two social and institutional trends, that in last two decades had damaged these spheres of life and that seemed relentless. First, what has been reversed are: the progressive privatization of welfare and the enhancement of the politics of retrenchment; second, values and styles of life, radical processes of individualization, that undermined mutual relations of support and care, and households' ability to cope with old and new risks. At the same time, the pandemic is radicalizing the long-lasting tendency towards job insecurity, a high incidence of low-paid workers and a high proportion of undeclared work. The highly differentiated impacts of the pandemic on these three spheres of life are creating a wider plurality of living conditions and risks.Social implicationsThe findings suggest that what the authors need is to reopen the debate on welfare priorities, programmes and areas of intervention, on public-private relationship that have been established in many sectors of welfare in the last decades in many European countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance welfare programmes capable of recognising the autonomous capacities of the family and informal relations to produce well-being, to cope with the crisis and to produce supportive relationships.Originality/valueThe pandemic highlighted that a progressive reduction of expenditure and politics of retrenchment produced welfare not able to face the needs of a large part of households. The pandemic highlighted that the changes that have taken place in the sphere of work, welfare and of the family in the last years have produced less and less governable effects.

Resilient Identity: How Aging Matters in Exploring Resilience

Defining resilience is complex given its multidimensional and contextualized nature within the gerontological literature. The construct has been described as a trait, state, and process, and less often, as a cultivated identity. Older adults are key in the understanding of resilience from their own point view as experts of their experiences with adversity. This presentation focuses upon the findings of qualitative research utilizing grounded theory methodology, which explores the way aging may shape “resilient identity.” Given the varying challenges across the life course, resilient identity may be highly dependent on individual and environmental context. This talk also focuses on who determines the definition of resilience as well as the nature of such an identity. Educational implications regarding key factors, management strategies, and protective practices are also discussed.

Theatrical competence, communication and ‘Cargo’ among young audiences: how do they figure it out?

ABSTRACT This paper presents the findings of aesthetic qualitative research conducted in Israel for the purpose of increasing the understanding of the reception process among kindergarten children (aged 5–6). The paper focuses on the link between Theatrical Communication, personal ‘Cargo’ young audiences ‘carry’ upon attending a theatrical event and Theatrical Competence. We argue that the encounter between theatrical cargo and theatrical communication form the theatrical competence of the audience at this young age.

Examining the Role of Theory in Qualitative Research

Scholars argue that higher education and international student research suffer from a lack of theoretical engagement, which is epistemologically limiting. This is troubling as theory frames research design and findings and pluralizes our understanding of a phenomenon. Given the large number of Chinese international students worldwide (and related research), this article uses them as an analytic example to understand the role of theories in shaping qualitative research designs, focuses, and findings. I reviewed 43 qualitative research articles on Chinese international students’ experiences. Twenty-eight percent of the articles were found to lack theoretical engagement. When used, theories clustered around acculturation and sociocultural perspectives. Sixty percent of the articles foregrounded student challenges, as opposed to student agency or changes (40%). I discuss the consequences of a lack of theoretical engagement or diversity on how we understand and support international students.

Experiences of outdoor nature-based therapeutic recreation programs for persons with a mental illness: a qualitative systematic review.

The objective of this review was to identify, appraise, and synthesize the best available evidence related to participation in outdoor nature-based therapeutic recreation programs for adults with a mental illness living in the community. Therapeutic recreation is posited to be beneficial for persons living with a mental illness. Research evidence indicates that therapeutic recreation programs can foster mental health recovery. It is important to understand the effectiveness of this from the perspective of persons living with mental illness how outdoor nature-based therapeutic recreation programs are meaningful and helpful for recovery. This review considered studies that collected qualitative data on the experiences and perspectives of adults with a mental illness regarding their participation in outdoor nature-based therapeutic recreation programs. The databases PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Informit, as well as unpublished sources in gray literature (Google Scholar, OpenGrey), were searched and reference lists were checked to locate any additional studies. Studies published in English were considered, with a date range from inception to 2019. Three reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the studies that met the inclusion criteria using the JBI critical appraisal approach for qualitative research. Data were extracted by one reviewer using the standardized qualitative extraction tool and checked for accuracy by three other reviewers. The qualitative research findings were pooled using JBI methodology. The JBI process of meta-aggregation was used to identify categories and synthesized findings, and a level of confidence was assigned to both synthesized findings. Eighteen papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the data extraction phase. A total of 84 findings were extracted and aggregated into six categories based on similarity of meaning and two synthesized findings. The methodological quality of the studies varied, and the overall level of confidence of the synthesized findings was determined to be moderate. This review identified that persons living with mental illness perceive outdoor nature-based therapeutic recreation as enjoyable and that therapeutic recreation makes a positive contribution to mental health. Congruent with the literature, therapeutic recreation offers a socially inclusive and psychologically safe environment. The intentionally structured social milieu enhances the formation of social relationships and meaningful connections for persons with mental illness. Elements linked with psychological well-being, such as intrinsic motivation, overcoming perceived challenges, and finding purpose and meaning, are enhanced through participation in therapeutic recreation in outdoor nature-based settings. Increased levels of physical activity, greater self-esteem, and enhanced sense of identity were some of the perceived positive changes. This review provides important insights into the subjective needs of persons with mental illness who undertake therapeutic recreation in outdoor nature-based settings. The qualitative findings can inform health care providers, or those interested in therapeutic recreation programming, to use alongside quantitative evidence of effectiveness to design nature-based therapeutic recreation activities that are meaningful for persons with mental illness. Limitations of the research were that papers published in languages other than English were not searched, and papers not located may have influenced the findings of this review.