Theory and Practice of Using Mixed Methods in Translational Research: A Cross-disciplinary Perspective

Abstract

point to its methodological potential in supporting other forms of inquiry, such as translational research. Translational research (TR) is commonly defined as research aimed at moving knowledge and discovery obtained from the basic sciences to its application in clinical and community settings (Clinical and Translational Research Institute [CTRI], n.d.). More broadly, TR is viewed as "inquiry that breaks new ground by uniting a concern for fundamental principles with a concern for everyday problems and outcomes" (Mace & Critchfield, 2010, p. 296). Although TR has gained increased awareness after the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prioritized it in 2006 as a way to bridge the gap between research and practice, TR "is as old as science itself" (Mace & Critchfield, 2010, p. 296) and has been widely used across disciplines.

Using mixed-methods in evidence-based nursing: a scoping review guided by a socio-ecological perspective

“…Rationales for MMR are the arguments that researchers make to justify their decision to use MMR in a single study. A wide range of rationales have been discussed in the literature indicating the extensive applicability of MMR to address a variety of complex problems including EBP (Ivankova et al, 2018; Plano Clark and Ivankova, 2016; Shorten and Smith, 2017). About half of the reviewed studies ( n = 42, 54%) stated rationales for using MMR to address the research purpose.…”

Development and validation of the Safe Sleep Calculator to assess risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy

“…A mixed-methods translational research design was used because this fitted with developing the evidence base of epidemiological SUDI/SIDS research into a clinically useful SUDI risk assessment tool 14 . This enabled a quantitively derived algorithm to be translated through stakeholder engagement into a useful clinical tool, and then the revised algorithm performance to be validated in a new SUDI case–control dataset.…”

Applying Mixed Methods in Action Research: Methodological Potentials and Advantages

“…Mixed methods research builds on the meaningful integration of quantitative and qualitative methods and thus creates new and more enhanced ways of learning about the problem of interest. The synergistic combination of mixed methods and action research is advantageous in two major ways: (1) it allows for addressing a practical issue in a systematic and dialectic way by using multiple methods, drawing on multiple stakeholders’ perspectives, thereby producing credible and valid results (Ivankova, 2015, 2017), and (2) it enhances translation of research findings into practice by creating opportunities for engaging stakeholders with research and creating meaningful outcomes for those affected by the issue (Ivankova et al, 2018). Table 2 summarizes the advantages of combining mixed methods and action research.…”

“…Later, this framework was applied in nursing research as a means for promoting patient centeredness and stakeholder engagement (Ivankova, 2017). Ivankova and colleagues (2018) extended the framework application to translational research, capitalizing on the framework’s focus on engaging stakeholders with research and its outcomes as a way to enhance translation of generated evidence into practice. In the following sections, we describe the MMAR framework and use two illustrative studies to explain the MMAR process that these studies applied in the context of the addressed practical problem.…”

“…By incorporating mixed methods procedures into the action research cycle, researchers can produce scientifically sound, contextually relevant, and effective plans for action/intervention, thereby providing a solid ground for promoting sustainability of the meaningful change and for ensuring better transferability of the action/intervention results to other professional and community settings (Ivankova, 2015). Additionally, when combined with mixed methods, action research can help stakeholders develop “a new appreciation for a data-driven decision-making process” (Lyons & Defranco, 2010, p. 149), provide a strong foundation for developing evidence-based plans for improvement (Tomal, 2010), and enhance the process of translation and adoption of the generated evidence into practice (Ivankova et al, 2018).…”