CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The main aim of this study was to investigate the main and nature of challenges faced by war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder after returning to the state of Colorado. The understanding of these challenges was deemed critical in meeting another co-aim of this study, to find out whether enough has been done to help in diagnosing PTSD conditions among war veterans and by so doing, help affected soldiers better cope with their condition.
As part of the process of attaining the above aims, this chapter gives a detailed overview of the methodological approaches utilized in this study in order to meet up the research objectives highlighted in the first chapter of this dissertation. The methodology chapter is one of the most important sections in any study and its consequent project report. This is because it is this very chapter that practically determines the extent to which the objectives of the entire study are to be attained. In the project report (dissertation or thesis), the methodology chapter is critical in giving the audience a concise and an equally important overview of the “actual” research process. In other words, it is the contents of this chapter that represent a researcher’s inroads towards filling up the existing knowledge gap, formally presented in the statement of the problem section of the first chapter in most dissertation papers.
Based on the above short explanation of the actual significance of the research methodology, this chapter strives to maintain a high level of standards in as far as the research process is concerned by presenting a detailed account of virtually every methodological approach utilized in the study. Covered in this chapter are such aspects of the research methodology like the research philosophy, the research method, research strategy, and the data collection and analysis techniques employed in the study. The final parts of this chapter highlight the validity, reliability and generalizability of the entire study as well as its limitation. A short section highlighting the main ethical issues arising in the conduct of this study and how they were addressed is also included in the conclusion parts of this chapter. The contents of this chapter consequently give a justification of every methodological approach chosen.
3.2 The Overall Research Design/Tradition of the Study
This study sought to answer three main research questions. These included:
- What are the challenges facing war veterans living with Posttraumatic stress disorder in Colorado?
- Has enough been done to help war veterans in the State of Colorado cope up with PTSD conditions?; and finally,
- What can be done to improve the lives of those veterans living with PTSD and their families in Colorado?
3.21 Definition of the Research Concept/Phenomenon
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD)-this is a mental health condition caused by previous terrifying events experienced by or exposed to an individual. Those with individuals with PSTD often experience such symptoms like severe anxieties, nightmares, and frequent flashbacks/thoughts about the very events in question. Within the military set up, PSTD develops out of terrifying experiences of military men in the course of war.
The Research Design/Tradition and its Rationale
In order to answer the above stated research questions, this study employed the qualitative research design/tradition and its underlying supporting methodological precedents like paradigm, time horizons and the case study strategy to collect relevant and information on the plight of those war veterans living with PTSD condition in Colorado. This section gives a critical review of the qualitative research design and other methodological approaches underlying it and the rationale for using them in this study.
Basically, this chapter borrows heavily from the widely used theoretical work of Saunders, Lewis & Thornhil (2007) on the research process. These three authors came up with what has commonly come to be referred to as the research onion. This is simply a multi-layered representation of the different stages forming up the research process. As highlighted in the figure below, the research process begins with the selection and definition of the research philosophy, which then informs the choice of the other subsequent elements of the process like the research approach, the research strategy, time horizon, and finally the data collection methods.
Figure 1.0: The Research Onion (Saunders et al, 2007)
A research design largely refers to the general framework underlying the data collection and analysis stages of the research process. As per Saunders et al ’conception, research choices can be grouped into the two broad categories of mono methods and the mixed methods (Saunders et al (2007). This categorization is practically reflective of the use of one of qualitative and quantitative research choices or both choices, specifically in cases where the mixed method is applied .In other words, research choices revolve around the use of either the quantitative or qualitative research designs or both.
According to Hutchinson (2012) the qualitative research design focuses on the discovering and understanding the perspectives, views and experiences of the participants. In other words, the qualitative research design involves an exploration of the meaning, purposes, and realities underlying a particular research phenomenon (topic of the study).Borrowing from the views of Wilson (2010), the qualitative research design represents a situated activity that locates the researcher in the world. The one major characteristic that distinguishes qualitative research from the quantitative research design is interpretive and naturalistic approach employed in the former approach.
The qualitative research design entails a study of individual elements in their natural set ups and as such, it is largely interpretative in nature. Another standpoint feature of the qualitative research design is the limited use of statistical techniques and values in the data collection and analysis stages of the research processes. The limited use of statistical approaches in this design is partly informed by the fact that those studies built on the qualitative design involve interpretation of phenomena based on the meanings attached to those phenomena by the participants. Secondly, the qualitative design investigates those scenarios boasting of socially constructed multiple truths.
On the other hand, the quantitative research design is particularly characterized by the increased usage of statistical approaches and techniques in collecting and analyzing those sets of information/data deemed relevant to the research topic. According to Creswell (2013), key characteristics of the quantitative research design include the use of distinct and equally proven data collection and analysis instruments/tools like questionnaires and the statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS).
The quantitative design is mostly employed in those studies attempting to maximize on objectivity, replicability and the generalizibility of the final findings. On the basis of this understanding, Creswell (2013) sees quantitative methods as suited for those studies backed up by strong hypotheses and theoretical precedents. Reliability theories are thereby used to test prior hypothesis statements to establish the existing relations between different variables, directly related to the topic of the study. Here, the researcher tries to avoid biasness across the data collection and analysis stages of the research process in order to maintain high levels of objectivity in the entire process and in making final conclusions (Prasad, 2005).
Finally, mixed methods as a form of research design involves the concurrent use of the two designs discussed above. The mixed methods design was developed in response to emerging differences in the ensuing debates over the suitability of either the qualitative and quantitative designs in successfully carrying out a particular research. The mixed method thus helps in addressing some of the major shortcomings of each of the above two designs (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012).
By combining qualitative and quantitative approaches in the data collection and analysis stages of the research process, one is able to bridge the existing differences between these two designs, and by so doing, possibly be in a better place to effectively meet the research objectives. According to Johnson & Turner (2003), the mixed methods design is built on the argument that researchers should collect varied types of data, and as such, one should limit his or her study to a single method.
3.211 The Qualitative Research Design and its rationale: this study was specifically qualitative in nature and largely utilized the qualitative approaches in collecting and analyzing relevant sets of information on the living conditions of PTSD-diagnosed war veterans in Colorado. Since this study sought to look at the life experiences /living conditions (social part of life) among those war veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Colorado, it was deemed inevitable to use the qualitative research design as opposed to the quantitative design (Klenke, 2008).
The choice of the qualitative design over quantitative approaches in this study was also informed by the fact this study sought to give a deep insight on the plight of war veterans in Colorado from a legal perspective. It would otherwise have been difficult to explore such a socially-inclined topic though the use of the quantitative design, which as stated above, emphasizes on the use of statistical measures and approaches in the data collection and analysis stages of the research process. It would have been inherently difficult to effectively rely on pure statistical approaches and, generally, the quantitative research design to collect, analyze and interpret first hand information from the selected group of war veterans in the case study State(Colorado).The qualitative research design was deemed inevitably reliable aiding the attainment of the second and third objectives of this study on whether enough has been done to help war veterans in the State of Colorado to cope with PTSD, and secondly; to assess different ways through which those veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Colorado can improve their lives and that of their families in general.
Additionally, the qualitative research design was also deemed useful in supporting the use of such secondary sources of data like published books, journal articles and other formal reports on the experiences of those veterans undergoing PTSD treatment both in the United States of America and Colorado in particular. This particular research design made it possible for the researcher to effectively investigate the present PTSD life experiences of those veterans returning from official duties in the Middle East in their natural set ups. It was in other words easier to understand the social, political, economic, legal and cultural constructs shaping the life of these particular members of the American population by employing the qualitative research design (Taylor, 2005).
From a different perspective, existing views on the application of the qualitative research design point out to the suitability of this very design in those studies employing the inductive approach. It was therefore inevitable to utilize this design owing to the fact that the inductive approach was initially selected as the main approach guiding the interpretation of collected sets of information in this study. By employing precedents of the qualitative research design, it was possible to come up with precise explanations and conceptualizations of the plight of post PTSD veterans in Colorado.
Despite the above seemingly positive benefits of the qualitative design however, an overreliance on this form of research designs meant that the final findings of this study cannot be effectively generalized. This particular design consequently complicated the analysis and eventual interpretation of the collected sets of data on the life experiences of those war veterans living with PTSD in Colorado, and specifically those returning from military duties in the Middle East region.
The Qualitative research design has been utilized in a number of previous studies covering the larger topic of PTSD among war veterans in the United States of America. One of those studies utilizing the qualitative research design was carried out by Nina et al(2009) and sought to establish the main determinants of PTSD Treatment Initiation among U.S.-based veterans previously working in Afghanistan and Iraq. Preference for the qualitative design in the study by Nina et al (2009) was informed by the ability of this design to yield a number of variable directly related to the study topic without necessarily being bound by previously identified hypotheses. Other studies have also relied on the qualitative design to examine help-seeking for psychiatric disorders among veterans in different parts of the U.S. This latter category of studies gives critical insights on dynamic intricacies faced by patients of psychiatric disorders in the U.S (Pescolido, Gardner & Lubell, 1998).
3.3 The Research Philosophy: Another major component shaping the selection of either the qualitative or quantitative research design is the research philosophy. According to Bryman (2012), a research philosophy denotes the distinct set of values /beliefs concerning the real state of the research topic. In other words, the research philosophy is the principal description of the nature of understanding on a given reality. Those assumptions underlying a given research philosophy ends up informing the actual conduct of the research process.
As noted by May (2011) the selection of one research philosophy over the other is determined by nature of the base of knowledge or set of information being studied. Based on this conception, it is worth noting that a due conceptualization of the research philosophy governing a particular study is critical in the eventual explanation and understanding of the general assumptions underlying that very study. A due understanding of the research philosophy is consequently critical in informing the relations between the main assumptions in a given study and the entire methodological framework employed in that study.
Borrowing from the views of Monette et al, (2005), there are basically two main models of research philosophy. These are constructivism and positivism. As a philosophy, positivism is built on the general assumption that reality exists in exclusion of the actual phenomena forming subject of a given study. This simply implies that a phenomenon is likely to remain largely identical among different subjects. In this case, the researcher always relies on a predetermined line of argument, commonly known as the research hypothesis and on which, the final findings are interpreted (Bazerman et al, 2009).
In a completely contrasting view, constructivism assumes that the inherent conception of a given social occurrence is established by individual or group of subjects. In other words, the constructivists believe that people cannot make identical observations or views on a given social phenomenon. As noted by Ghuari & Gronhaug(2005),constructivism, at times often referred to as interpretivism is built on the assumption that, reality is developed from the subjectivity views of individual subjects.
On the basis of the above detailed conception of research philosophy and the existing categories of research philosophies, this study particularly employed constructivism as its main research paradigm or philosophy. The choice of this particular research philosophy was informed by the seemingly qualitative nature of the research topic and the absence of a strong theoretical background on which to fully interpret the living conditions of Veteran Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Patients in Colorado, and particularly those returning from active duty in the Middle East region.
It was in other words difficult to come up with theoretically sound research hypothesis on the plight of those war veterans suffering from combat-related PTSD in Colorado. This therefore simply meant that the constructivist paradigm was the most viable option to inform the rest of the methodological approaches underlying this study. This particular research philosophy made it possible to easily create meanings on the life experiences of PSTD veterans based on interpretation of such experiences vis avis the existing social constructions in the state of Colorado.
3.4 Research Approaches: there are basically two possible approaches to a research, namely: the deductive and inductive approaches. According to Silverman (2013) the deductive approach refers to an approach where a researcher makes specific conclusions from general observations.Here, conclusions are arrived at in amore rational manner or through the use of a clear theoretical path. Borrowing form the views of Wiles et al(2011),the deductive approach is particularly suitable for those studies aimed at establishing the relationship between the final findings and existing theoretical provisions.
In a rather strict contrast to the deductive approach, the inductive approach entails the drawing of general conclusions from specific observations (Bryman & Bell 2011).Under this research approach therefore, the observations forming up the collected sets of data serve as the main standpoint from which to draw final generalized conclusions. There is in other words no prior theoretical framework to guide the interpretation of the collected sets of data as would be the case with the deductive approach. However, this does not necessarily imply that research findings analyzed under the realms of the inductive approach cannot fit into an existing theoretical precedent (Bryman & Bell 2011).
On the basis of the above theoretical understanding of the deductive and inductive approaches to research, it was deemed inevitable to strictly employ the inductive method as the main research approach in this particular study. Preference of the inductive approach over the deductive approach was particularly informed by the choice of the research philosophy covered in the preceding section. As noted by Flick (2011), whereas the deductive approach is suitable for positivist studies, the inductive research approach is highly suited to those studies employing constructivism as their main research philosophy. The inductive research approach was consequently deemed relevant in this study due to its ability to better work in those studies lacking concrete theoretical backings as was the case with this study.
3.5 Research method/Strategy: the third major element of the research process as highlighted in the research onion above is the research strategy or method. According to Saunders et al (2007), the research strategy refers to the exact way through which a researcher seeks to carry out his or her research work. Alternatively, Collins & Hussey (2009), define research strategy as the general orientation utilized in a given research work. It is the research strategy that outlines the limits within which a particular research or study is to be carried out.
Based on the above definition, Saunders et al (2007) enumerated a total of seven major types of research strategies. These include: the experimental strategy, the case study strategy, action research, surveys, grounded theory, archival research and ethnography (Kumar 2010).Borrowing form the views of Sunders et al (2009), experiments refer to tentative procedures carried out with the aim of testing existing lines of arguments or hypotheses or establish the existing relations between different variables. Owing to this conception, it is always expected that experiments incorporate the use of control elements in order to test changes in trends or results across different sets/upon the invoking of different variables.
The experimental strategy is in most cases employed in the general scientific world and often entails the carrying out of physical experiments, mostly in a laboratory setting. Since this study was involving human beings, the experiment research strategy was out rightly out of question. This is because as noted by Collins & Hussey (2009), there are a wide range of ethical, moral and legal drawbacks in the use of human beings as objects of experiment in research.
On its part, action research as a strategy entails a practical approach to study a given problem at the community level. Practically, action research as a strategy is widely used to individual experiences in such professional disciplines like nursing and teaching. The case study research strategy involves assessments of distinct entities and makes generalizations from such assessments. Surveys are on their parts concerned with the selection of a distinct group representative of the target study population and producing generalized conclusions about that very population on the basis of the information gathered from the sample population.
The ethnography form of research strategy is on its part used in those studies seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the meanings attached to various cultural precedents among the members of a particular ethnic group. Under this particular strategy, researchers carry out their investigations from an observer’s perspective, solely with the aim of understating different cultural attributions from their own point of views. Surveys represent one of the most common research strategies in the present day theoretical and academic world. According to Wilson (2010), surveys entail the study and consequent collection of data from a sample of participants representing a given large population, specifically on a research problem or topic best known to those very participants. The findings of most survey-based studies are then generalized to represent the larger population from which the sample of participants was selected. Surveys are in most cases carried out either physically through the use of interviews, questionnaires, participant observations or electronically, through the use of online platforms.
As noted by Yin (2009) case studies and surveys are arguably two of major research strategies used in the world of social sciences, owing to the ability of these two strategies to provide good avenues through which one can gain a deep understanding of a wide range of study issues in a societal set up. That is, through either the survey or the case study research strategy, it is becomes a little easier to successfully use relatively smaller units of analysis to gain a deep insight of a significantly larger population, that would have been otherwise difficult to study using other research strategies.
The researcher in this given study specifically adopted the case study as the main strategy to gain a deep understanding on the topic of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among War veterans in the state of Colorado. The section below thus seeks to give an in depth understanding of the case study strategy and why it was deemed the most suitable strategy for this particular study.
3.51 The Case Study Strategy :borrowing form the views of Yin (2009), a case study refers to a data collection strategy that focuses on a limited number of research subjects in order to gain a deeper conception of the main issues forming the subject of investigation in a given study. Similarly, Collins & Hussey (2009) view the case study strategy specifically involving the investigation of a given case of research problem at a given point.
The main distinguishing factor of the case study strategy is therefore the selection of a single or simply, a limited number of subjects as opposed to investigating the whole population of subjects directly linked to the issues/topic being investigated. This definition simply implies that the case study strategy basically involves methodical explorations of one or more situations or case scenarios with a specific focus on the selected case or cases. The selected case scenario in this strategy is often taken as a sample representation of a scenario or problem affecting a relatively larger population or groups of entities. There is therefore always the possibility that research findings accrued from a case study could be generalized to a larger population or group of entities.
Employing the above understanding of the case study research strategy to the under investigation in this study, Colorado was specifically the selected case. That is, rather than carrying out an investigative exploration of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among War Veterans in the larger United States of America, this study narrowed the field of investigation by focusing PTSD among war veterans in the distinct state of Colorado.
The case study strategy was deemed suitable in this study because it made it possible to get a narrow view of the plight of PTSD diagnosed war veterans in the United States of America without necessarily having to study the whole lot of the members of this population across the country. Additionally, the case study strategy made it possible for the researcher to narrow down the study to suitably fit in the existing knowledge gap in the wider topic of PTSD prevalence and care among war veterans in the U.S. That is, through the use of the case study strategy, it was possible to solely focus on Colorado, as one of the widely neglected areas in as far as research on PTSD among war veterans in the U.S is concerned.
3.6 Role of the Researcher
Given the fact that this study heavily relied on the qualitative research design, it was out rightly inevitable that the researcher would perform a significant role in the data collection process. This is because as noted by Denzin & Lincoln (2003), unlike in the quantitative research design where the researcher’s role is theoretically limited, researchers are often viewed as instruments of data collection in qualitative studies. Simply put, researchers serve as human instruments in qualitative designs and as such, it is often necessary to give a critical description of those individual aspects of the researcher capable of shaping his/her conduct during the data collection process(Greenbank, 2003).
Basically, the role of the researcher in this study was more etic in nature or simply put, the researcher played the role of an observer as opposed to being either a participant or an observer participant. In other words, the researcher participated in the data collection part of this study as an objective observer or viewer. The personal relationship between the researcher and the selected group of participants was therefore that of an instructor.
Since this study was qualitative in nature, the researcher largely served as the sole designer of the interview scripts/questions and an interpreter of the collected sets of both primary and secondary data. That is, the interpretations and general assumptions derived from the collected sets of data were subject to the researcher’s personal opinion. This means that analysis and consequent interpretation of the collected data might have been subjected to the individual biases and opinions of the researcher. There was in other words a major case for researcher biases in different stages of this study.
3.7 The Specific Methodology Used in the Study
3.71 Sampling Procedures, Recruitment of Participants and Sample Size: since this study entailed the use of both primary and secondary sources of data, it was necessary to firstly select a sample of participants representing the larger population of those war veterans living with PTSD in Colorado. The first step in the eventual selection of the sample of participants to take part in this study was the identification and delineation of the exact study population (members of the public directly serving as the main subjects to be studied).As stated in the introduction chapter above, this study particularly sought to gain a deep insight on the state of PTSD among war veterans in Colorado, with a specific emphasis on the main challenges faced by those veterans living with PTSD in this state and the effectiveness of those measures taken up to address their health conditions.
In order to effectively attain the main objective of this study, it was necessary to identify the target study population, or simply, an inclusive group of persons from whom to source the necessary set of information on PTSD among war veterans in Colorado. As stated in the introduction and literature review chapter above, this study was specifically limited to those PTSD-diagnosed, Colorado-based war Veterans previously serving under military capacity in the Middle East region. This simply means that the target study population comprised of the entire group of war veterans PTSD claimants in Colorado. In order to reach out to members of this target study population, a list of all PTSD Claimants in Colorado was obtained from the regional Veterans Benefits Administration office in Denver, Colorado. However, because this study was specifically targeting only those war veterans previously serving in the Middle East countries, it was necessary to firstly cave out from the original list of all PTSD claimants in Colorado, a list of those men and women listed as Middle Eastern countries war veterans. The researcher in this study chose to specifically focus on listed PTSD claimants as the main target study population based on the basis of the assumption that those war veterans filling up PTSD claims boast of basic understanding of the intricacies surrounding the plight of PTSD-diagnosed war veterans in Colorado. In other words, PTSD claimants were deemed as the most viable group of participants from whom to gather such sets of information directly related to the topic of the study like the challenges facing war veterans living with PTSD in Colorado and the extent to which enough measures have been put in place to help war veterans in Colorado effectively cope with PTSD conditions.
3.712 Sampling Procedure and Selection of Sample: after the identification of the target study population as highlighted above, the next step involved the selection of a sample of participants from the larger study population and from which to gather relevant sets of information on the state of PTSD among veterans in Colorado. The selection of a sample often entails the application of certain sampling techniques or procedures. Sampling procedures can either be placed under the two broad categories of probability and non-probability sampling, depending on the extent to which all member of the study population have equal chances of being included in the selected sample of participants.
Generally, this study relied on the purposive sampling technique of the broad non-probability sampling procedure to select the group of former Middle East-based service men and current PTSD claimants to serve as respondents in this study. The choice of this particular sampling technique was informed by the fact that the interview method was the source of data, and as such, it would have been difficult to use a different sampling technique that would have probably led up to the selection of a seemingly large sample of participants.
In line with the above stated sampling technique or procedure, the recruitment of those participants to take part in this study involved the sending of recruitment materials to all those Male war veterans listed as PTSD claimants in the veterans Benefits Administration in Denver, Colorado, and specifically those listed as previously serving in either the two countries of Afghanistan and Iraq, and all female war veterans listed as PTSD claimants regardless of their area of service in the larger Middle East region. This exclusion criterion was particularly aimed at ensuring that the final selected sample would feature both male and female PTSD claimants for a better representation of the final findings.
Out of the total number of PTSD claimants listed as war veterans previously serving in the two states of Iraq and Afghanistan and all female veterans previously serving in any part of the larger Middle East region, a total of 30 participants were selected, based on their willingness and eligibility to participate in the study. Out of these participants, the number of male and female PTSD claimants was 20 and 10 respectively.
3.8 Data Collection
Data collection is arguably one of the main standpoint parts of the research process since it is this very process that actualizes any given research undertaking. Data collection refers to the process of gathering and measuring data on the different set of variables forming up the topic in a given study. On the basis of this definition, it is worth noting that, as a process, data collection is practically common in research activities both within the scientific and non-scientific worlds (Monette et al, 2005).
The significance of the data collection stage of the research process is perhaps highlighted by the fact that it is this stage that facilitates the search and gathering of those sets of information capable of satisfactorily answering the research questions and equally facilitating the attainment of the research objectives(Hutchison,2012).Owing to the significance of this stage, it is always advisable for any research to carefully choose the most viable and reliable data collection techniques and tools in his or her research project. Owing to the importance of the data collection process in the eventual success of any given investigative work, this study was highly committed to the collection of the most relevant and equally reliable sets of data. Such standards were maintained through a selection of reliable techniques and tools to serve as data sources (Greenbank, 2003).
3.81 Sources of Data: Practically, the data collection stage of the research process entails the selection of a wide range of reliable tools and techniques to collect those sets of data deemed relevant to the topic of the study, and ones capable of meeting up virtually every objective in a given study. Since it is from the collected sets of data that the researcher answers the research questions and strives to fill up the existing knowledge gap necessitating that study in the first place, it is always advisable to critically carry out the data collection part in a precise and equally valid manner (Olsen, 2011).
In other words, the techniques, tools and approaches used in this stage of the research process should be ones capable of yielding relevant, reliable and most importantly, valid sets of data on the topic being investigated. Given the significance of the data collection stage to the eventual success of any research undertaking, the selection of data sources and data collection techniques in this study was done with utmost carefulness.Thoretically,sources of data are grouped into two broad categories. These are the secondary and primary sources of data, both of which generate secondary and primary data respectively (Olsen, 2011).
Although some researchers may deem it inevitable to use either of the above two categories of data sources, it is often likely that one will rely on data sourced from a combination of both primary and secondary sources. This is because relying on one of the above categories of data sources and ignoring the other category may lead up to the collection of insufficient sets of data, and with it, a failure to effectively attain the research objectives. Based on this assumption, it was deemed necessary to rely on both primary and secondary sources to collect first-hand and secondary sets of information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among War Veterans in the State of Colorado.
3.811 Primary Sources of Data: Primary sources of data refer to those data collection tools, procedures and techniques that facilitate the collection of first hand information on a given topic, directly from the field (subjects or participants). Apart form aiding in the collection of relevant information directly from the participants, primary sources consequently denote such sources like historical excerpts and other forms of publications capable of yielding first-hand data. Categorization of such sources like historical publications as primary sources of data simply means that it is not only those sets of data produced on the course of a given research purely constitute primary data in that study. However, primary data and sources are largely used in reference to the collection of first-hand information directly from members of the study population or the selected sample in particular. Primary data is occasionally collected through the use of such tools cum techniques like interview schedules, questionnaires, experiments and observation (Sapsford & Jupp, 2006).
The choice of one primary source of data over the other is informed by a wide range of factors ranging from the nature of the topic being studied, the general construction of the study population, availability of resources, time and finally, the choice of research philosophy and design used in a given study among other factors. First-hand data was collected directly from the selected group of war veterans through the use of interviews. The interviews were carried out solely by the student researcher, albeit without the involvement of research assistants.
3.8111 The Interview Method and Interview Procedures Used in this Study: Since this study heavily relied on the constructivist research paradigm/philosophy and the qualitative research design, it was deemed necessary to adopt a primary data collection method that would be practically suited to these two elements of the research process. The interview method was particularly selected as the main sources of primary data specifically based on its ability to produce qualitative forms of data in line with the research design initially chosen in this study. This very source of primary data was also considered relevant in this study because it could capture the different social, political, legal and cultural dimensions shaping the general state of life among those war veterans living with PTSD in the state of Colorado.
Based on the methodological approaches used in previous studies on the larger topic of PTSD among war veterans in the U.S., the researcher developed a semi-structured interview sheets to be used in the data collection part. The interview sheets developed in this study were largely uniform in nature for both the male and female veteran participants since this study did not seek to investigate any gender-based dimensions on the experiences of those war veterans living with PTSD in Colorado.
3.812 Secondary Sources of Data: On top of primary data and sources of data, there are also those other sources that do not necessarily produce first-hand data on a given subject of inquiry or topic. This category of sources is formally called secondary sources. According to Newman (1998), secondary sources refer to those sources already found in written or published form. These sources produce sets of data that are representative of the opinions of parties other than direct members of the study population (selected group of participants).Some of the most notable secondary sources of data include: books, journal articles, newspaper articles and other forms of written materials like magazines among others (Prasad, 2005).
As noted above, secondary data is in most cases sourced from such published/written sources like books, journal articles, government publications, health reports and other online sources touching on the plight of PTSD-diagnosed war veterans, not only in the state of Colorado, but also in other parts of the country. In regard to this, a large number of such sources were reviewed to reveal their suitability in giving critical insights on the state of PTSD among war veterans in Colorado. Such thorough reviews were aimed at ensuring that only the most credible and equally reliable published/written materials were used as data sources in this study.
Secondary data was formally collected from such materials like epidemiological data available in the Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Website. Relevant data to the topic of the study was also sourced from existing record in the Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Colorado. The decision to utilize secondary sources was informed by the need to get a theoretical background to the state of PTSD among veterans in the United States of America and partly, in Colorado. However, given the fact that the topic of PTSD among war veterans in Colorado has not been widely explored in previous studies, it was inherently difficult to identify and equally use secondary materials in general during the data collection and analysis parts of this study. Another major limitation arising from the use of published and written materials in this study was difficulties in the categorization and analysis of different sets of information deemed relevant in highlighting the plight of PTSD-diagnosed war veterans in Colorado.
3.82 Time Horizons: According to Saunders et al (2007), the time horizon defines the time frame within which a given study is to be carried out. The two forms of time horizons commonly used in research are the longitudinal and cross sectional horizons. The cross sectional form of time horizon is employed in those studies carried out within a single period of time. That is, under this form of studies, data is collected within a “snapshot” of time. In a sharp contrast to the cross sectional time horizon in research, the longitudinal time horizon is characterized by the collection of data over a prolonged period of time.The cross sectional time horizon was generally preferred in this study over the longitudinal horizon, at least based on the topic of the study and the available time for the study. Naturally, the longitudinal data requires relatively longer periods of time to collect and this was considered a formidable reason to opt for the cross sectional time horizon which requires significantly shorter periods of time to finalize. Additionally, it was much easier to collect the desired pieces of information without necessarily making a longitudinal follow up of the selected group of participants (Goddard & Melville, 2004).
3.83 Data Analysis: The data analysis part of any research undertaking simply entails the formal transformation of the collected sets of data into meaningful inferences or conclusions (Wilson, 2010). Since this study was particularly carried out under the precedents of the qualitative research design, it was only inevitable to use a data analysis technique that is highly suitable for qualitative data. According to Graneheim & Lundman (2004), the one data analysis method often coming to the forefront in qualitative studies is content analysis. This method entails an in depth, comparative breakdown of the collected sets of both primary and secondary data to establish the main recurring themes from those sets of data. Based on this conception, content analysis as the main data analysis method in this study was employed in virtually every piece of the collected data, ranging from the filled up interview sheets and excerpts from secondary sources like journal articles. Responses representing different views of war veterans on PTSD were for instance cross-checked to identify major trends regarding such elements of the research topic like effectiveness of PTSD mitigation measures in Colorado.
Although the content analysis data analysis method proved largely useful in analyzing the qualitative data collected in this study, its utilization meant most of the analytical part of this study was descriptive in nature (Creswell, 2013).This method of data analysis might not have necessarily highlighted the main dimensions underlying the different trends accrued from the collected sets of data.
3.84 Issues of Trustworthiness: research undertakings are always expected to maintain the five main elements of trustwothiness, namely: credibility (internal validity), transferability (external validity), dependability, confirmability (objectivity) and reliability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).These elements largely revolve around the worthiness, reliability and replicability of the final findings of a study. In line with this understanding, credibility in this particular study was maintained through the utilization of such techniques like prolonged engagement or the spending of sufficient time to gain a deep understanding of the different social-cultural dimensions shaping the experiences of veteran PTSD claimants in Colorado.
Prolonged engagement was particularly attained through the researcher’s prior familiarization with the study environment and the participants in order to build trust with them, thereby being in a better position to freely interact with the participants during the interview period. Persistent observation was also invoked during the data collection and analysis parts of this study and this ensured that the researcher gave due importance to those issues consistently featuring as part of the challenges facing those war veterans living with PTSD in Colorado. A similar measure was also applied in such other elements of the research topic like the effectiveness of the measures taken up to address the plight of this category of war veterans. From a different perspective, triangulation or the ability to use diverse sources of data, as a major factor in the establishment of credibility was maintained in this study through the use of both primary and secondary sources of data on PTSD among war veterans in Colorado.
Regarding the establishment of transferability as a key element in maintaining trustworthiness in research, all the arising themes on the plight of those war veterans living with PTSD were given “thick descriptions” (Lincoln & Guba,1985).This simply means that recurring themes or trends on such areas like the effectiveness of the different measures put in place to address different aspects of PTSD among war veterans were contextualized in order to lead up to more detailed and objective conclusions.
In order to maintain high levels of reliability and validity in the entire study, those published materials serving as sources of secondary data in this study were purposely selected on the basis of such criteria like years of publication and authenticity, especially in the case of online sources like websites. This was necessary in ensuring that only recent and credible materials were used as data sources throughout the entire research process. A cross checking of journal articles as potential sources of secondary data was also done in order to make sure that only those articles from peer reviewed journals were relied upon as credible sources of data.
3.85 Ethical Considerations: there are a large number of ethical issues arising in virtually every research undertaking. Researchers are therefore expected to observe such issues in order to comply with existing ethical provisions in the larger field of research and at the same time, give social and moral credence/ justification to individual researches and their underlying findings. The relevance of ethics in research is highlighted in the previous academic works of such scholars like Hammersley & Trainou (2012), who view research ethics as an important component of both qualitative and quantitative studies because they justify virtually every activity carried out by the researcher.
In a bid to give a critical understanding of ethics in research, different scholars in the larger field of research have tried to identify the major ethical issues likely to arise in a research context and the different way through which they can be observed or adhered. An enumeration of such ethical issues or considerations and their remedies is basically crucial in ensuring that researchers maintain high standards of ethics throughout the course of their research activities for the sake of credence and authenticity in the final findings of their studies (Simon, 2011).
As noted by Neuman (2007), some of the main ethical issues arising in the course of any given research process include the maintenance of high levels of privacy, facilitating the willful participation of members of the study population in the study, and due recognition and acknowledgement of all sorts of materials or information sourced from the work of other independent authors among other ethical considerations.
The case for ethics and ethical consideration was relatively high in this study partly due to two major factors.Firstly, this study entailed a direct involvement of members of the larger target population (war veterans living with PTSD in the state of Colorado).This automatically meant that high levels of ethical standards were to be maintained in the selection of the sample group of participants and the consequent handling of their individual responses.
The second major factor highlighting the relevance of maintaining high standards of ethics in this particular study was the equally sensitive nature of the health conditions of the selected sample of participants.Generally, any form of health condition or complication implies that an individual is likely to express his or her fear over the possible publicization of whatever form of health complication he or she is facing. Post traumatic Stress disorder conditions among the participants in this study therefore means that the researcher had to observe a number of ethical precedents if at all the final findings of this study were to remain highly credible.
In line with the existing theoretical provisions on the maintenance of high levels of ethical standards in research, this study observed virtually every part of the arising ethical issues in the selection of participants and the consequent handling of collected sets of data. In the selection of the sample group of participants for instance, high levels of ethics were maintained by ensuring that only those freely willing to take part as respondents were selected. This was particularly facilitated through the administering of consent forms seeking the personal consent or authority of the prospective participants before their due involvement in the data collection process (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012). The seeking of prior consent from the eventual participants was essential in ensuring that no member of the war veterans’ population in Colorado would participate in this study without his or her personal authority.
From a different perspective, high levels of privacy were maintained throughout different stages of the data collection process in this study. This was done by taking up such measures like making confidential and anonymous every response made by the participants by avoiding such practices like a revelation of the participants’ identity or any other part of their confidential information (Miller et al, 2012).
Finally, this study observed the existing ethical provisions on the use of secondary data. This was specifically attained though a due recognition and acknowledgement of all the pieces of written or published materials consulted in the entire study by providing a correct referencing of such works (Hammersley & Trainou, 2012).
Chapter Conclusion
This chapter highlighted the methodological approaches and ethical considerations underlying the data collection part of this particular study. Covered in this chapter are such methodological items like the research tradition and its underlying frameworks like the research philosophy, approach, and research strategy, time horizons among others. Basically, this study utilized the qualitative research tradition (hereby commonly termed as the research design).This simply meant that there was no any formal use of statistical techniques and instruments in the data collection and analysis parts of the research process.
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