Qualitative Investigation Research Articles

Highlighting the Aspects of Women Emancipation and Liberation in Ibsen’s The Dolls House and Hedda Gabler: A Comparative Feministic Approach

This research paper aims to investigate the aspects of women liberation and emancipation in Ibsen’s The Dolls House and Hedda Gabler. The Dolls House largely addresses a woman's yearning to forge her individuality and dignity in a world run by men. Review section illustrates the critical comments and reviews of notable literary authors and critics. Feministic and especially a radical feministic approach in The Dolls House and Hedda Gabler by Ibsen illustrates three goals in mind; Nora’s patriarchal struggles with the patriarchal world. To examine the types of conflict Hedda Gabler engaged in when battling over patriarchal worldview and to examine the types of challenges Hedda Gabler had in her battle with the ideology. However, the study uses content analysis to conduct a qualitative investigation with the help of textual references. Finally, the research concludes that Ibsen's unorthodox portrayal of women in one of his most notable social tragedies; The Dolls House & Gabler.

Men's Experiences Facing Nurses Stereotyping in Saudi Arabia: A Phenomenological Study

Background Stereotypes about the nursing profession include low ability, low compensation, minimal educational requirements, little autonomy, and a preponderance of women in the field. Contrary to popular opinion, nursing is typically a female-dominated career, and there has been an increase in the number of male registered nurses in the past few years. Aim The primary aim of this qualitative investigation is to delve into the experiences and realities faced by male, registered nurses (RNs) in Saudi Arabia and their role in nation-building through Saudi Vision 2030– a national initiative to improve the lives of every citizen based on the pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. Methods The study applied qualitative descriptive phenomenology. Twenty-three male RNs were selected through purposive sampling from a total of five hospitals (three government and two private). Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Data was analyzed utilizing Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological method, and the COREQ checklist was utilized to report qualitative results. Results The primary themes were the following: (1) “The stigma of men in nursing” contributes to the idea that men who work in a profession that is primarily dominated by women have a lot of deeply embedded challenges; (2) “The Murses: male nurses rising above the challenges” shows how male RNs deal with specific issues they face while caring for patients in a range of settings, and (3) “The future of male nursing in Saudi Arabia” discusses how male RNs may help the nursing profession grow and develop. Conclusion Male RNs experienced both positive and negative professional impressions from people inside and outside the healthcare facilities. In some cases, male RNs faced workplace violence and discrimination. Nonetheless, it was evident that male RNs strove harder to “belong” and to earn respect from the people of Saudi Arabia.

A qualitative investigation to understand the challenges and representation of women in the media industry of Bangladesh

This study explores the representation of women in the media in Bangladesh and the social perception regarding their media engagement. Both Dhaka and Khulna cities were purposively selected as the study area for fulfilling the research objective. A qualitative research method has been used to conduct the study and primary data were collected by using an in-depth interviews (IDIs) and two focus group discussions (FGDs). Using a convenient sampling technique, a total of fifteen informants, including IDIs with five (5) informants who were media professionals, two FGDs of ten (10) informants (five in each group), were communicated for data collection. The findings revealed that women are represented as a commodity for marketing the product, and their charm or glamour became the main requirement for recruitment. The informants perceived that the lack of professionalism in the media industry ignores women's intellectual value. Moreover, female models are mostly judged by their physical beauty, not by their merit. The findings also revealed the presence of sexual harassment in the media industry. From the consumers perspective, the study revealed that elderly people have a negative perception of women's engagement in the media; however, the younger people adjusted their thoughts to new media portrayal of females as sexual objects but lack respect for the profession. The study significantly recommends measures such as eliminating sexually objectifying roles for female artists, introducing pay protection and social support campaigns to ensure a non-discriminatory media industry and consumer culture.

Designing Computer Vision Support for Science Practical Work: A Qualitative Investigation into the Noticing Practices and Support Preferences of Science Teachers

Designing Computer Vision Support for Science Practical Work: A Qualitative Investigation into the Noticing Practices and Support Preferences of Science Teachers

Machine learning approaches to cryoEM density modification differentially affect biomacromolecule and ligand density quality.

The application of machine learning to cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) data analysis has added a valuable set of tools to the cryoEM data processing pipeline. As these tools become more accessible and widely available, the implications of their use should be assessed. We noticed that machine learning map modification tools can have differential effects on cryoEM densities. In this perspective, we evaluate these effects to show that machine learning tools generally improve densities for biomacromolecules while generating unpredictable results for ligands. This unpredictable behavior manifests both in quantitative metrics of map quality and in qualitative investigations of modified maps. The results presented here highlight the power and potential of machine learning tools in cryoEM, while also illustrating some of the risks of their unexamined use.

Apprehending Parental Perceptions and Responses to Accidental Online Pornography Exposure Among Children in Pakistan: A Qualitative Investigation

Apprehending Parental Perceptions and Responses to Accidental Online Pornography Exposure Among Children in Pakistan: A Qualitative Investigation

Regression Analysis of the Effects of Debt on Economic Performance in Kenya

This study investigates the impact of debt on economic performance in Kenya, focusing on both internal and external debt. Using regression analysis and correlation techniques, data from 2000 to 2021 was analyzed to understand the relationship between debt levels and economic growth indicators such as GDP. The findings reveal a nuanced relationship: while internal debt shows a positive association with economic growth, external debt demonstrates a negative association. Effective debt management strategies are crucial to mitigate adverse effects, including monitoring debt levels, negotiating favorable terms with creditors, and directing borrowing towards productive sectors. Promoting export-led growth, enhancing fiscal discipline, and continuous monitoring and evaluation are recommended policy actions. Despite limitations such as data constraints and external factors influencing economic performance, future research avenues include long-term analysis, sectoral studies, comparative analyses, and qualitative investigations into stakeholder perceptions. This study contributes to understanding the complexities of debt dynamics and informs policymakers in navigating sustainable economic development pathways.

Exploring Caregivers’ Perceptions on the Impact of Nyaope and Alcohol Use on Tuberculosis Treatment Adherence in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A Qualitative Investigation

Exploring Caregivers’ Perceptions on the Impact of Nyaope and Alcohol Use on Tuberculosis Treatment Adherence in Limpopo Province, South Africa: A Qualitative Investigation

'The wild west of medicine': A qualitative investigation of the factors influencing Australian health-care practitioners' delivery of medicinal cannabis.

Strong patient interest in the use of medicinal cannabis to treat various clinical indications has sparked global legislative changes. Practitioners are vital in implementing regulatory changes and facilitating patient access to medicinal cannabis, however, little is currently known about the factors influencing practitioners' uptake. Recent rapid increases in practitioner applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis in Australia provides a unique backdrop to examine the current factors influencing prescribing behaviours. This qualitative study examined Australian practitioners' perspectives on prescribing medicinal cannabis to provide a comprehensive exploration of the potential factors influencing uptake in clinical practice. Seventeen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian health-care practitioners. Transcripts were analysed using the Framework approach to thematic analysis and cross-mapped to appropriate domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework. We identified four themes related to the barriers and facilitators to prescribing medicinal cannabis: (i) clinical capabilities needed to prescribe; (ii) prescribing an unapproved therapeutic good; (iii) negative attitudes towards prescribers in the medical community; and (iv) divergent beliefs about clinical utility. Practitioners face multiple pervasive barriers to prescribing medicinal cannabis. Beliefs about clinical utility appear to be highly influential in shaping prescribing behaviours. Moreover, our findings suggest that a medicinal cannabis 'specialisation' has emerged within the Australian medical community. Findings demonstrate that a range of complex and multifaceted factors influence practitioners' medicinal cannabis prescribing behaviours. We highlight several considerations for policy and practice to support safe and appropriate patient access to medicinal cannabis in this emerging area of clinical practice.

Developing the WE BEAT Well-Being Education Programme to foster resilience and build connection in paediatric heart disease.

The study of psychological well-being and related resilient outcomes is of increasing focus in cardiovascular research. Despite the critical importance of psychological well-being and related resilient outcomes in promoting optimal cardiac health, there have been very few psychological interventions directed towards children with heart disease. This paper describes the development and theoretical framework of the WE BEAT Wellbeing Education Program, a group-based psychoeducation and coping skills training intervention designed to improve psychological well-being and resilience in adolescents with paediatric heart disease. Program development was informed by patient and family needs and input gathered via large, international survey methods as well as qualitative investigation, a theoretical framework, and related resilience intervention research. An overview of the WE BEAT intervention components and structure of the programme is provided. The WE BEAT Wellbeing Education Program was developed as one of the first resiliency-focused interventions in paediatric heart disease with an overall objective to foster positive psychological well-being and resilient outcomes through a health promotion and prevention lens in an accessible format while providing access to safe, peer-to-peer community building. Feasibility pilot results are forthcoming. Future directions include mobile app-based delivery and larger-scale efficacy and implementation trials.

Why did God let this Happen? Assessing the Spiritual Impacts of Sexual Addiction on Intimate Female Partners: A Qualitative Investigation

Recent years have seen a rise in research on sexual addiction (SA) and compulsive sexual behaviour (CSB). In the literature, these concepts describe an emerging field of study that may encompass a range of interpersonal and communal consequences for concerned individuals, their intimate partners, families, and society. Taboos surrounding SA/CSB often shroud the subject in shame and ignorance. Despite growing scholarly interest in SA/CSB, few studies have analysed intimate partners’ lived experiences in depth, and no other research has investigated the spiritual impacts of SA/CSB on intimate partners. This descriptive phenomenological study addresses this knowledge gap. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with female partners (primary participants; n = 12) and professional counsellors (supplementary participants; n = 15). The analysis reveals that following discovery/disclosure, SA/CSB may affect women via complex and multifaceted spiritual consequences. Significantly, most women did not receive validation or safety from their faith communities. Instead, many reported experiencing a range of spiritual impacts, including changes in their faith, fear of stigmatization, the perception of pastoral pressure to ‘forgive and forget’, ostracism from their faith communities, and/or a sense of anger directed towards God as the perceived silent co-conspirator who permitted the deception to continue undiscovered, sometimes over years or even decades. The study’s findings point to salient opportunities for faith communities to provide more targeted support and assistance during healing and recovery.

The role of embodiment, experience, and self-image expression in creating continuance intention in the metaverse

Despite the growth of the metaverse, users' perception of their self-image based on the embodied elements remains unexplored. This research explores the metaverse world's relationship between embodiment, experience, expression, and continuance intention. This research deploys an exploratory sequential mixed-method research design to operationalise the study objective. Study 1 performs a qualitative investigation to develop a hypothetical model, and Study 2 employs a 3 × 3 factorial experimental design with 356 participants to investigate the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that embodied presence and co-presence can lead to positive continuance intentions. Also, it is crucial to develop self-image expressions in the metaverse space. This research offers multiple insights and advances the theoretical knowledge of cognitive embodiment, flow, cognitive bias, and expectancy confirmation theories. The results can also aid metaverse practitioners in designing an interactive metaverse domain.

Supporting Children Transitioning to Secondary School: A Qualitative Investigation into Families’ Experiences of a Novel Online Intervention

ABSTRACT Supporting children to successfully transition from primary to secondary school is of utmost importance for several reasons, including to prevent future emotional and behavioural problems. Level Up is a novel, UK-based intervention consisting of five online group sessions, straddling the summer holidays, and providing at-risk children and their parents/carers with skills to manage their behaviour, emotions, and relationships to support their transition to secondary school. A prior evaluation of Level Up reported a need to better describe the mechanisms of change. This study therefore evaluated the experiences of children and their parents/carers regarding the facilitators and barriers to engagement and change, and the perceived impact. Fourteen children and 17 parents/carers were interviewed. Identified barriers and facilitators were: (1) Having a safe, supportive, and fun space, (2) Learning through connection, (3) A family approach, (4) Problematic group dynamics, and (5) Connecting through video calls. Perceived impact was described as: (1) Empowering children, (2) Supporting children socially, (3) Supporting parents and carers in their parenting role, and (4) Supporting a successful transition to secondary school. Another theme (5) describes some families’ experiences of limited impact. These findings can be used to better understand how to support children in their school transition.

Building Buying-in: Understanding the Anticipatory Socialization Phase of Workers in a Full-Life Organization

This qualitative investigation explored the anticipatory socialization phase of volunteers in the missionary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a full-life organization. Constant comparative analysis revealed that participants experienced three phases of organizational identification within their anticipatory socialization phase: exposure, exploration, and engagement. In the exposure phase, participants were presented with socializing messages that taught participants the rules, expectations, and values of the organization. In this phase, participants accepted the organizational identity largely without reservation. In the exploration phase, participants questioned their organizational identity and explored alternative, varied, and competing identities. In this phase, participants pushed their organizational identity to the periphery of their social identity. Finally, in the engagement phase, participants recentered their organizational identity and committed to their membership in the organization. Identifying these phases assists organizations and individuals in understanding and developing organizational engagement.

Trying to understand the illness: A qualitative investigation of health literacy of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Limited health literacy is high among patients with chronic kidney disease, which can pose challenges in health care. Evidence of health literacy in Indonesia, particularly regarding patients undergoing hemodialysis, is lacking. In this study, we aimed to explore health literacy in adult patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. An inductive qualitative study was conducted. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 adult patients undergoing hemodialysis, four family caregivers, and four healthcare professionals. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Three themes emerged from the data: "Trying to understand the illness," "searching and obtaining health information," and "applying health information." Understanding and accepting the illness included raising awareness of the changes in their lives and accepting these changes. Participants actively sought information from healthcare professionals and other sources and used it carefully. Behavioral changes included patients' adherence to therapy, although participants often felt bored during the illness trajectory. Understanding the illness and being willing to seek and critically evaluate health information before implementing it are important. These aspects may affect patient outcomes and require further intervention and research.

Microscopical, phytochemical, and LC/MS analysis of Ginkgo biloba leaves

Every medicinal practitioner knows Ginkgo as the plant source of an extract that is good for memory improvement. Ginkgo biloba extract is classified as one of the medicines in the treatment of dementia and social exclusion brought by vascular or neurodegenerative disorders. In such disorders, the extract was reported to be successful in improving symptoms such as depression, attention, memory disturbances, vertigo, tinnitus, and anxiety. The aerial part of Ginkgo bioloba was obtained from China, Utilizing fresh leaves allows for a microscopic inspection, the concentrated extracts by soxhlet were screened by standard methods for the qualitative investigation of secondary metabolites present in the plant, and a small quantity of extract was analyzed by LC/MS instrument. Microscopical examination shows diacytic stomata, helical vessels, fiber, and unicellular unbranched trichomes. Qualitative analysis is positive for tannin, glycoside, flavonoid, terpene, and phenolic compounds detected while saponin, coumarin, and alkaloid gave a negative result. While LC/MS shows important compounds that have important biological activities such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and flavonoid glycosides which are reported for their different pharmacological activity, the Ginkgo plant is a promising drug that can help in the treatment of different diseases and required further studies.

Behind the Scenes: A Qualitative Investigation of Interviewers' Performance in EQ-5D Valuation Studies.

The EuroQol Valuation Technology (EQ-VT) protocol is currently employed by the valuation studies of the EQ family of instruments worldwide. To date, all the evidence in support of the quality control (QC) originates from quantitative indicators. We aimed to explore interviewers' conversational patterns in EQ-VT interviews, beyond quantitative QC indicators, and toprovide a preliminary exploration of how the interaction between interviewer and respondent impacts data quality. Two researchers transcribed and independently coded 24 video-recorded interviews from the Italian EQ-5D-5L valuation study, adopting the conversational analysis framework. The analysis identified positive and negative 'patterns' of conversational practice. These were categorized into themes and sub-themes and were used to score a random sample of 42 video-recorded interviews conducted at different time points by seven interviewers. The conversational analysis identified 20 positive and 14 negative interview patterns, which were grouped into two main themes (i.e., task execution and communication skills). Positive items included appending questions that stimulated respondents' engagement, providing different explanations for an unclear aspect, supporting the participant with useful information for completing the tasks, and increasing the interview's coherence by confirming the respondent answers. Negative patterns included moving forward in the exercise without making sure that the respondent understood, trying to force an answer from the respondent, speaking too fast, and providing incomplete or incorrect explanations of the task. Most interviewers exhibited a moderate increase in positive patterns or a decrease in negative patterns over time. A certain degree of consistency between the quantitative QC results and the qualitative scoring deriving from the interviewer-respondent interaction was observed, with the best and worst performers of the qualitative scoring showing good and bad scores on key QC items, respectively. The identified positive and negative patterns may be useful to inform the training material of EQ-VT studies worldwide and complement the existing QC process.

Unlocking Social Media Success: How Prosumers Drive Brand Engagement through Authentic Conversations with Consumers

AbstractThis research examines whether prosumer‐generated (vs. firm‐generated) content fosters consumer engagement through content relevance and perceived content sponsorship. Four between‐subjects experiments (N = 1048) show that prosumer‐led (vs. firm‐led) conversations, mediated by perceived content sponsorship and content relevance, generate higher engagement. Furthermore, consumer engagement increases significantly when prosumers share hedonic content and disclose information about their identity. A fifth study, a qualitative investigation with brand managers and marketing practitioners, further validates and extends these findings, providing nuanced insights in the form of four prosumer‐led engagement strategies for consumer engagement. These strategies have practical implications for companies seeking to leverage prosumers in social media marketing. Together, the current work broadens the research scope of prosumers from content co‐creators to drivers of brand engagement, while revealing the factors that increase the effectiveness of prosumer‐led social media content. Specifically, this research suggests that content type and authenticity are fundamental criteria for choosing a prosumer to engage social media brand followers. From a managerial viewpoint, the findings indicate that companies should identify, connect, and engage with online prosumers, as they will actively contribute towards improving consumer engagement levels.

E-Learning Experience of Indigenous Rural Communities in the Face of COVID-19 Crisis in Chittagong Hills Tracts Region, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Investigation

E-Learning Experience of Indigenous Rural Communities in the Face of COVID-19 Crisis in Chittagong Hills Tracts Region, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Investigation

Assessing the impact of a cleaning programme on environmental hygiene in labour and neonatal wards: an exploratory study in The Gambia.

Effective surface cleaning in hospitals is crucial to prevent the transmission of pathogens. However, hospitals in low- and middle-income countries face cleaning challenges due to limited resources and inadequate training. We assessed the effectiveness of a modified TEACH CLEAN programme for trainers in reducing surface microbiological contamination in the newborn unit of a tertiary referral hospital in The Gambia. We utilised a quasi-experimental design and compared data against those from the labour ward. Direct observations of cleaning practices and key informant interviews were also conducted to clarify the programme's impact. Between July and September 2021 (pre-intervention) and October and December 2021 (post-intervention), weekly surface sampling was performed in the newborn unit and labour ward. The training package was delivered in October 2021, after which their surface microbiological contamination deteriorated in both clinical settings. While some cleaning standards improved, critical aspects such as using fresh cleaning cloths and the one-swipe method did not. Interviews with senior departmental and hospital management staff revealed ongoing challenges in the health system that hindered the ability to improve cleaning practices, including COVID-19, understaffing, disruptions to water supply and shortages of cleaning materials. Keeping a hospital clean is fundamental to good care, but training hospital cleaning staff in this low-income country neonatal unit failed to reduce surface contamination levels. Further qualitative investigation revealed multiple external factors that challenged any possible impact of the cleaning programme. Further work is needed to address barriers to hospital cleaning in low-income hospitals.