Q Methodology in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

All face-to-face studies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as they could not be run in person due to rules and guidance linked to social distancing which were in force during the outbreak. Finding and testing an available COVID-secure approach for both participants and researchers was important as was the need to continue conducting such studies during this critical time. At present, the extant literature indicates a clear gap in research that elucidates how to carry out a Q methodology study online, step by step. This paper describes an option for online Q methodology using an approach that simulates all of the steps performed in a face-to-face setting using an open-source software known as Easy-HtmlQ. Using a case study in telemedicine adoption as illustration, this paper also considers the perspective of both research participants and Q methodology researchers via semi-structured interviews. Using Easy-HtmlQ V1.1 in online Q methodology studies appears to be an affordable, practical and user-friendly solution. Some of the benefits associated with running Q methodology studies online were the decreased costs, enabling the recruitment of wider number of participants, providing a COVID-19-secure environment and offering convenience to both participants and researchers during the research process. The findings of this study may contribute to increasing the number of online Q methodology studies in the future, as it has succeeded in offering a feasible approach for Q methodology researchers.

A Pilot Study Conducting Online Think Aloud Qualitative Method during Social Distancing: Benefits and Challenges

“…Participants frequently reported the following points, reflecting impersonal, technical, and ethical considerations: (1) recruitment, (2) rapport, and (3) ethical concerns. Similar studies that looked at online methods to collect qualitative data also identified the salience of these categories [ 2 , 9 , 35 ]. Quotes provided in this section are illustrative excerpts from interviews of themes that were common across multiple participants’ accounts (the analysis of the interview transcripts formed the basis of the thematic analysis presented below).…”

“…One main reason given was that the online approach provided the participants with flexibility in terms of not having to be in a particular physical location to attend. Using an online approach, the researcher was able to transcend geographical boundaries, nullifying distances and eliminating the need to visit an agreed location for interview [ 2 , 36 , 37 ]. Also, when using MS Teams and other similar technologies, TA session can easily be conducted from the comfort of one’s home, eliminating not only the need to travel, but also the need to find a venue to do the TA sessions [ 38 , 39 ].…”

“…Conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic has provided unprecedented insights into the potential and pitfalls of online research methodologies and approaches [ 1 ]. Enforced social distancing practices meant field research originally being conducted face-to-face had to be transferred online during COVID-19 [ 2 ]. A considerable amount of literature has been published on the benefits and limitations of online methods in general, which offer obvious expedient and practical advantages in terms of ease of recruitment and ability to recruit from various locations [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Alternative Clinical Practice Experiences of Korean Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…It is a research method designed to systematically investigate individual subjectivity (thoughts, attitudes, points of view, perspectives, ideas, etc.) on various issues involving humans [24]. In particular, Q combines qualitative and quantitative methods, and it also has the substantial advantage of being able to quantitatively categorize human internal perspectives [25].…”

“…Q methodology is a research method that is optimized to understand the subjective experiences and attitudes of nursing students toward ACP in a qualitative manner and to analyze them objectively and quantitatively. Q studies online in the era of COVID-19 have the advantage of being able to recruit more participants from different regions and provide a COVID-19 secure environment by eliminating face-to-face surveys [24]. The aim of the present study was to explore the experiences of South Korean nursing students who participated in ACP during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Q methodology.…”