Recruiting Transcultural Qualitative Research Participants: A Conceptual Model

Abstract

Working with diverse populations poses many challenges to the qualitative researcher who is a member of the dominant culture. Traditional methods of recruitment and selection (such as flyers and advertisements) are often unproductive, leading to missed contributions from potential participants who were not recruited and researcher frustration. In this article, the authors explore recruitment issues related to the concept of personal knowing based on experiences with Aboriginal Hawai'ian and Micronesian populations, wherein knowing and being known are crucial to successful recruitment of participants. They present a conceptual model that incorporates key concepts of knowing the other, cultural context, and trust to guide other qualitative transcultural researchers. They also describe challenges, implications, and concrete suggestions for recruitment of participants.

The value and meaning of a community drop-in service for asylum seekers and refugees

“…Given that cross-cultural research of this nature should be carried out in collaboration with individual/s who are working closely with and have established relationships with the group (Eide and Allen, 2005;Laverack and Brown, 2003;Sixsmith, Boneham and Goldring, 2003), a purposive approach to recruitment was guided by the gatekeeper. This was judged the best way of ensuring a range of age, gender, origin and asylum status within the sample.…”

Experiences in Broker-Facilitated Participatory Cross-Cultural Research

“…Partnering with service providers is especially effective in cross-cultural research where service provider partners act as "cultural brokers." Cultural brokers connect culturally different groups together in ways that respect the values and social differences between groups (Eide & Allen, 2005). Furthermore, cultural brokers "speak on behalf of community interests, lending voice to community needs, strengths and ideas so that researchers are better able to prioritize community perspectives and values" (Spector, 2012, p. 254).…”

Engaging Communities on Health Innovation: Experiences in Implementing Design Thinking

“…[77][78][79] During university-community engagements, gatekeepers also regulate the spectrum of perspectives that converge to legitimize knowledge and challenge dominant narratives. 80,81 Indeed, while having community stakeholders frame the initial design challenge is regarded as a key strength of design thinking, in the current project, the nurses in particular came to be recognized as stakeholders who held disproportionate power in setting agendas and influencing the design process.…”