Q-sort Methodology Research Articles

APPLYING FOUR-PHASE ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING THEORY TO THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: AND INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY.

The article discusses an interdisciplinary study concerning the Gospel of Luke and the application of a four-phase organizational learning process. The discussion refers to research that provides empirical evidence of this learning theory in various cultural settings and its relevance to the description of Jesus' life and teachings in the New Testament book of Luke. The phases--which are interative and provide tacit knowledge for subsequent phases--are ideation, elaboration, integration, and normalization. Topics include the cyclical nature of the learning model, Luke's Journey Narrative, the structured Q-sort methodology which is used to examine concepts that have not been established, and critical thinking.

Does a Marriage Ideal Exist? Using Q-Sort Methodology to Compare Young Adults’ and Professional Educators’ Views on Healthy Marriages

This study sought to understand whether young adults and family educators share beliefs about the components of a successful relationship. Young adults viewed successful relationships as having partners who agree on most issues. Educators characterized successful partners as exhibiting positive communication patterns and using relationship maintenance strategies. A third prototype included young adults and educators who described successful relationships in terms of agreement and problem solving behaviors. Implications for researchers and practitioners conclude the article.

Determining What is Important in a Good Formulation

Research suggests that there is low inter-rater reliability between therapists when asked to formulate the same case and that there may be discrepancies in what is considered an essential part of a formulation. The present study aimed to explore the diversity of therapists' viewpoints regarding the purpose and essential features of a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) case formulation of depression. A Q-sort methodology was used in order to render these beliefs operational. Seven experienced CBT therapists participated in the construction of 86 statements, capturing concepts considered relevant to a CBT formulation of depression. This Q-sort was then administered to 23 therapists, who rated these statements in terms of their importance using a Q-sort procedure. Three factors emerged, suggesting three dominant opinions as to the importance of features of a formulation. A “state” CBT factor, focusing on the “here and now”, accounted for most variance; followed by a second factor emphasizing “function and process” and a third factor emphasizing “trait” components. Whilst there was some agreement between what was considered to be least important in a formulation, the emergence of three distinct viewpoints suggests a lack of complete consensus amongst the therapists.

Assessment of preschool classroom practices: Application of Q-sort methodology

Abstract This paper reports on the application of Q-sort methodology to the development of the Preschool Classroom Practices (PCP) Q-sort. The PCP Q-sort was tested in a sample of 66 preschool teachers and assistants. Results demonstrated the existence of a 2-cluster structure within the Q-sort, comprised of Cognitive Development Activities and Socioemotional Development Activities. Specific properties of the PCP Q-sort, including cluster means, demonstrated consistency across both samples and time. Preschool teachers reported engaging in significantly more Socioemotional Development Activities than Cognitive Development Activities. Relationships to classroom observational measures are presented. Application of the PCP Q-sort as a measure of classroom practices and implications for preschool curriculum are discussed.

The Organizational Culture Profile Revisited and Revised: An Australian Perspective

This paper examines the development and validation of an updated version of the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) (O'Reilly, Chatman & Caldwell 1991). The current study aimed to overcome the limitations associated with the Q-sort methodology used in earlier versions by developing an instrument based on a Likert-type scale and using a large, Australia-wide sample of executives (N = 1918). Confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS (Arbuckle & Wothke 1999) was used to test the theoretically-derived factor structure. The psychometric properties of the seven-factor instrument were examined and provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the OCP. Using confirmatory factor analyses, competing models were specified and assessed according to a range of fit indices. A higher-order model produced the most parsimonious solution and indicated that innovation appeared to play a pivotal role in terms of executive perceptions of organizational culture. The further development of a rigorous instrument to evaluate perceptions of culture should encourage researchers and practitioners to use the instrument for empirical and diagnostic purposes.

Impact of antidepressant side effects on adolescent quality of life.

This study examines the relative impact of antidepressant side effects on adolescents with a history of major depression. We used Q-sort methodology to capture the opinions of adolescents with a history of depression (n = 22), adults with a history of depression (n = 20), healthy adolescents (n = 20), and clinicians (n = 18) on the impact of 40 common antidepressant side effects. We asked subjects to force rank the side effects, judging each side effect on its relative impact on their daily lives. We also examined the impact of these side effects on health status and medication compliance. Primary analyses compared adolescents with depression with the other groups on their mean rankings for each of the 40 side effects. Secondary analyses included paired comparisons for ratings on health status and compliance. Although all groups ranked syncope and vomiting among the worst 5 side effects, significant differences were found between the groups on other side effects, such as anxiety, sleepiness, and hair loss. Based on the side effect with the most negative impact, adolescents with depression judged their own compliance (mean = 22%) to be higher than predicted by clinicians (mean = 11%). There were no significant differences between the groups on the mean rating of health status. Adolescents with depression, adults with depression, healthy adolescents, and clinicians agreed on the negative impact of 2 side effects: vomiting and syncope. Q-sort methodology provides valuable insight into the similarities and differences in opinion regarding the potential impact of side effects in patient groups.

Development and Validation of a Q-Sort Procedure to Assess Temperament and Behavior in Preschool-Age Children

Few broad observational measures of preschool-age children's temperament and behavior currently exist. Studied the Child Temperament and Behavior Q-Set (CTBQ-Set) as a naturalistic observation measure to tap the major domains of temperament and behavior in preschoolers. Pairs of observers rated the behavior of a community sample of preschoolers during 2 independent home visits using q-sort methodology. The CTBQ-Set scales displayed good levels of internal consistency and convergent and discriminant content saturation. The scales displayed good interrater reliability at each observation and moderate test-retest stability between observations. The construct validity of the CTBQ-Set scales was supported by correlations with mothers' ratings of their children's behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist for 2- and 3-year-olds (CBCL/2-3) and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. The CTBQ-Set shows promise as an observer-rated measure of preschoolers' behavior and temperament in their natural home environment.

Development and Validation of a Q-Sort Procedure to Assess Temperament and Behavior in Preschool-Age Children

Few broad observational measures of preschool-age children's temperament and behavior currently exist. Studied the Child Temperament and Behavior Q-Set (CTBQ-Set) as a naturalistic observation measure to tap the major domains of temperament and behavior in preschoolers. Pairs of observers rated the behavior of a community sample of preschoolers during 2 independent home visits using q-sort methodology. The CTBQ-Set scales displayed good levels of internal consistency and convergent and discriminant content saturation. The scales displayed good interrater reliability at each observation and moderate test-retest stability between observations. The construct validity of the CTBQ-Set scales was supported by correlations with mothers' ratings of their children's behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist for 2- and 3-year-olds (CBCL/2-3) and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. The CTBQ-Set shows promise as an observer-rated measure of preschoolers' behavior and temperament in their natural home environment.

Integrating supports in assessment and planning.

A systematic approach for addressing the support needs of persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities is presented and a new scale to measure individual differences in support needs described. The process employed in developing the scale is explained, including the establishment of a typology of support areas that was drawn from a review of the professional literature, a validation process using Q-sort methodology, and a pilot field test. Critical issues and practical challenges associated with efforts to measure and address the support needs of individuals are discussed.

The use of narrative in the study of caring: A critique

Within nursing and the allied professions there is an extensive and growing literature that aims to uncover the meaning of caring and its application in practice. Review of the literature reveals a wide range of data collection and analysis methods, including measurement and multivariate analysis, concept analysis, content analysis, Q-sort methodology, the repertory grid technique, case study, ethnographic and phenomenological approaches. It is argued that while all approaches make a valid contribution, appropriate methods for nurses of obtaining rich data about the meaning and practice of caring are those which permit the researcher to enter the world of the nurse and explore perceptions as expressed through stories. Reference is made within this paper to the use of narrative in an ongoing research study which explores nurses' perceptions and experiences of psychological care-giving and the ways in which these develop throughout nurse education programmes. However, the main purpose of this paper is to present arguments for and against the use of the narrative method, concluding with a brief discussion of methodological choice applied to the study of caring.

Using Q-sort methodology as an educational tool in post-qualifying education whilst simultaneously gathering research data about views on parenting

Post-qualifying courses for social workers offer unique access to large numbers of practising social workers. Therefore, they present an opportunity to gather research data about current practice concerns. Asking students on post-qualifying courses to take part in research activity can also enable reflections upon the links between research and practice. However, ideally, any research activity should also contain an educational element so that students will directly gain from taking part. This paper describes a study in which Q-sort methodology was used as a method of both gathering data and as an educational tool. The study was an exploration of the links between views about both 'good enough' parenting and decision-making in child care and protection work. Subjects were students attending post-qualifying child protection courses. The methodology was successful both in gathering meaningful data and in stimulating lively debate about the issue. This paper will describe the study, briefly set out the research findings and discuss the advantages of the methodology as an educational tool.

Mothers' and fathers' perceptions of three year olds' attachment behavior.

This investigation reports on the antecedents and cross-sectional predictors of young children's attachment security based on Q-sort methodology, with particular consideration of the convergence of parental reports. Mothers' and fathers' ratings of child temperament and child behavior problems, as well as each parent's construction of the marital relationship and his/her affective state, were examined in relation to Q-sort assessments of mother-child and father-child attachment security. Generally, a moderate degree of convergence between maternal and paternal perceptions of attachment security was found; this association was stronger than the correlations reported based on studies using the Strange Situation procedure at 12 to 18 months of age. Antecedent relationships between ratings of parental affective symptoms, as well as ratings of marital quality and security of attachment, were stronger for fathers than for mothers. These findings may suggest closer links for fathers than for mothers between parental nurturing responses and psychological state, or they may reveal a stronger subjective bias for fathers inherent in the Q-sort method.

Interracial Dating: The Implications of Race for Initiating a Romantic Relationship

Currently, limited research exists that explores the socially taboo topic of interracial dating between African Americans and European Americans. Historically, African Americans and European Americans have had a highly destructive relationship of enslavement and oppression, which has resulted in a history of mistrust, according to P. H. Collins (African American Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness and the Politics of Empowerment, New York, Routledge, 1990). As a result, this relationship symbolizes the institutionalized oppression embedded in race relations despite the very intimate nature of this romantic relationship. Using the centrality of race within the context of romantic relationships, this study was designed to determine how race influences the communicative process. Q-sort methodology was used, which required participants to determine what waiting, hinting, direct, and third-party intervention strategies they would use to initiate a date in both same-race and interracial contexts. Findings reveal that when comparing verbal strategies across both contexts and open-ended responses to likelihood or reality of dating interracially, participants were resistant to the idea of dating a person from another race. External factors such as family and society were cited as primary deterrents to involvement in an interracial romantic relationship. In general, participants in this study used more social distancing strategies for initiating interracial dating relationships than same-race dating relationships.

Thinking with Your Head and Your Heart: Age Differences in Everyday Problem-Solving Strategy Preferences

Age and gender differences in perceived effectiveness of problem-focused and emotion-regulatory problem-solving strategies were examined. Using the Q-sort methodology, young, middle-aged, and older participants were asked to rank order, on a continuum from least to most effective, a wide range of possible strategies for dealing with 4 hypothetical, interpersonal problem situations. In addition to global problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies, analyses were conducted on an expanded 10-category system, including 3 problem-focused and 7 emotion-focused categories. In general, participants preferred problem-focused over emotion-focused strategies. However, older adults preferred a combination of problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies, whereas middle-aged and younger age groups preferred problem-focused strategies only, as their top choices. Qualitative age and gender differences were also found in the types of strategies endorsed, particularly for the emotion-focused strategies.

Facilitating Change in Dementia Care

The authors describe factors that facilitate positive changes in dementia care as perceived by long-term care employees. Creating positive changes in dementia care is a complex undertaking involving multiple variables. The perspectives of long-term care employees may provide important insight and direction for a successful change process. A convenience sample of 181 long-term care employees utilized a q-sort methodology to provide data for this descriptive study. Results were analyzed using rankings and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. The facility factors most often cited as important for making positive changes in dementia care involved teamwork, administrative support, staff attitude, and knowledge. There was little congruence between facility factors identified as ideal for providing dementia care and those identified as actually evident at the subjects place of employment. Personal characteristics that were identified as most important for facilitating positive changes in dementia care include genuinely liking people with dementia, being flexible, kindness, calmness, and having a positive attitude. The correlations between ideal and real personal factors were higher than for the facility factors. This study supports the idea that the fundamental tenets of good leadership--communication, involvement, and empowerment--are foundational for real change in dementia care to be attained and sustained.

Methodological advances and developments in the assessment of psychopathy

The last decade has witnessed a number of significant methodological advances and developments in the assessment of psychopathy. The Psychopathy Checklist—Revised and the two-factor model of psychopathy have facilitated the assessment of psychopathy and clarified the differential correlates of the personality- and behavior-based operationalizations of this syndrome. Although preliminary evidence suggests that certain features of psychopathy may be underpinned by a latent taxon, the categorical versus dimensional status of psychopathy requires clarification. Researchers have accorded increasing attention to the assessment of psychopathy in non-criminal samples, although the construct of subclinical psychopathy remains controversial. Other recent methodological developments include: (a) the extension of the Five-Factor Model and other higher-order personality taxonomies to psychopathy; (b) development of a Q-sort methodology to permit the assessment of psychopathy by observers; (c) standardized assessment of psychopaths' interpersonal behaviors; (d) assessment of psychopathy in children; and (e) examination of gender, ethnic, and cross-cultural differences in psychopathy.

Validation of an Inclusive Modelof Sexual Minority Identity Formation on a Sample of Gay Men

This article outlines the preliminary validation of a new, inclusive model of sexual minority identity formation (McCarn & Fassinger, 1996) on a sample of gay men. The model hypothesizes two separate but reciprocal processes of individual sexual identity development and group membership identity development in a fourphase developmental sequence. The model was developed and successfully validated on a sample of lesbians (briefly described here), and the present study replicates and extends this work, using a modified Q-sort methodology, on a sample of 34 diverse gay men. Results indicated support for the model, in terms of both individual and group processes as well as phases, and suggested that the model is applicable to gay men. Implications of the study for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

A Model and a Method for Uncovering the Nomothetic from the Idiographic: An Alternative to the Five-Factor Model?

The dominant approach in contemporary personality psychology is the Five-Factor Model (FFM). This model, however, suffers from several limitations, including the assumption that lay observation should underlie expert models of personality, confusion about whether the FFM is a model of personality or a model of lay beliefs about personality, confusion of the conscious self-concept with personality (of which the conscious self-concept is only a small subset), and an inattention to personalityprocesses.The article contrasts the FFM with an alternative model of personality derived in part from clinical observation and interpretation of narratives, which can be quantified using Q-sort methodology. A quantitative case analysis of a patient with a personality disorder allows a comparison of the relative merits of this alternative model and method with the FFM.

L'influence de l'attachement mère-enfant et des habiletés verbales de l'enfant d'âge préscolaire sur l'étayage maternel dans une tâche de planification simple

Thirty-six mother-child dyads participated in a collaborative planning task : the model grocery store (Gauvain and Rogoff, 1989), adapted for younger children (33 to 47 months). Two same-size groups (n = 18) were created on the basis of security of attachment scores (Q-Sort methodology - Waters and Deane, 1985), as well as three same-size groups (n - 12) on the basis of children's verbal iq scores (French-Canadian version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Dunn, Thériault- Whalen and Dunn, 1993). Metacognitive strategies, interpersonal co-ordination behaviors, object exploration, and task performance were coded from videos. Results showed that in high security dyads, children participated more in task execution and metacognitive operations when they had at least average (for task execution) or high verbal abilities (for metacognitive operations), and mothers were more involved in object exploration, especially when their child had low verbal abilities. Dyads with low security scores did not show any patterns related to child verbal abilities. The discussion focuses on the consideration of the role of both cognitive and socio-affective characteristics of the mother-child dyad within a socio-constructivist perspective of intellectual development. Taking into account both factors reveals complex interactional patterns of influence on maternal scaffolding style.

Elicitation Techniques for Classification Research: Ordered Trees, Repertory Grids, and Q-Sort Methodology

One of the greatest challenges in this field is designing studies that can shed light on the cognitive processes of classification. The reason that this is so difficult is that many of these processes are implicit. People act on classifictory decisions without being aware of them. The papers in this three-part section address different techniques that can be used to elicit information about how people order and cluster phenomena. The techniques discussed are: Ordered Trees, Repertory Grids, and Q-Sorts. Each section will describe the origin of the technique and its past and potential applications. The use of the technique will be illustrated by examples from hypothetical cases or from actual ongoing research projects.