Challenging perspectives: Reflexivity as a critical approach to qualitative social work research

Abstract

Reflexivity is acknowledged as a crucial concept and is pivotal in the methodology of qualitative research. Various practices of reflexivity are adopted in the social science disciplines. However, the concept is difficult to pin down and the challenge for researchers is to address how to become reflexive and do reflexivity in research practice. In social work, reflexivity has further been developed and applied in practice contexts. The practice terms, critical reflection and reflection or reflectivity are interrelated in ways that aim to explain reflexivity in the profession which, in turn, can offer an enhanced understanding of reflexivity applied in research. This exploratory article promotes practising reflection – questioning, analysing and evaluating oneself in employing reflexivity in all the research stages: methodological construction, data collection and data analysis by undertaking three key self-focused activities: (1) thinking about one’s own thinking; (2) observation of emotions/thoughts, role boundaries and power dynamics in research relationships; and (3) exploration of perceptual experiences. Maintaining the reflexive stance is achieved through reflectivity. The article is largely descriptive but draws on experience in a doctoral study of cultural competence and promotes the effective use of reflexivity in qualitative social work research.

Reconciling Positionality: An Indigenous Researcher’s Reflexive Account

“…Reflexivity is critically important for moderating the influence of biases and beliefs researchers may carry into a research project. Personal identity, past experiences, and positionality can influence subjective analysis outcomes and skew knowledge production (Berger 2015;Hurley and Jackson 2020;Ide and Beddoe 2023). Racially, I am Indigenous, but I do not share the cultural and geographic experiences of many Indigenous participants in my study.…”

“…Reflexivity is an awareness of the internal factors that drive our emotional responses to stimuli and shape our relationships with others (Akter et al 2022;Etherington 2006). In the research world, reflexivity involves knowing that we, as researchers, play a role in constructing meaning and that it is impossible to be completely objective during the research process (Ide and Beddoe 2023;Jordan 2006). The perspectives and biases that a researcher carries with them will always have some level of influence on the outcomes of research.…”

“…The personal and professional experiences of the researcher shape their general worldviews and their views of the specific topic under study. As a research process, reflexivity becomes a strategy for ensuring research quality when using subjective research methodologies (Akter et al 2022;Ide and Beddoe 2023). It is imperative when the researcher has similar life experiences to those of the research participants.…”

Assessment of veterinary pharmaceutical warehouse management practices and its associated challenges in four selected zones and Bahir Dar city of Amhara regional state, Ethiopia

“…After repeated reading of the filled-out notes and careful listening to the audio records, coding, and recoding of the contents were done with peer review. The principal investigator also used the reflexivity method to improve the quality of data collection, which enabled better probing, fewer assumptions, the avoidance of premature interpretation, and an accentuated sense of curiosity during the interview ( 32 ).…”

Enhancing child safety and well-being in the northern territory: Bridging gaps in support services and strengthening community engagement

“…An example of this collaboration includes engaging insider researchers in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, as well as incorporating their insights to refine research questions and theoretical frameworks. Reflexivity was employed to address potential biases of the primary researcher in the field of CPS and FSS in the NT (Ide and Beddoe, 2023; Probst and Berenson, 2014). The first author presented potential themes to the other authors, incorporating their perspectives to refine themes.…”