brief introduction to phenomenological research

Phenomenological Research

FdA and BA (Hons) Counselling with Brief Interventions

Counselling Research

Aims

1. Phenomenology in counselling2. Phenomenology as a research method3. Data analysis using the phenomenological

approach: procedure4. Conclusions

Phenomenology

The way we experience the world determines how we respond and is based on our own unique mixture of needs, history and expectations

Each of us lives in our own subjective world, which cannot be fully and completely understood by anyone else

Tony Merry (2002)

Phenomenology in Counselling

• Frames of Reference• Bracketing• Equalisation• Description

Phenomenological Research

As in counselling this is an attempt to understand the structure of lived experience rather than explain it

Research Methods

Phenomenological research is qualitative research requiring the researcher to collect ‘verbal or written protocols describing the experience’ (McLeod: 2011: 89).

This can be done with open ended questionnaires, journals, interviews,

observations, etc

Data Analysis

1. Collect verbal or written protocols2. Read them through carefully to get a sense of the

whole3. Extract significant statements or ‘units of meaning’4. Eliminate irrelevant repetition5. Identify the central themes or meanings implicit in

these statements6. Integrate these meanings into a single ‘exhaustive

description of the phenomenon’.

Conclusions

• Phenomenological research is an attempt by the researcher to …

• describe the subjective experience of participants …

• by following a procedure in which …• units of meaning are identified …• and common themes integrated into an

‘exhaustive description of the phenomenon’.