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Participant observation in families with school-refusing children

Participant observation in families with school-refusing children
Participant observation in families with school-refusing children

Four families were observed using the technique of participant observation. The research aimed to develop systematic and reliable methods to describe family structure and interaction. The observer lived-in the family home for week long periods as a 'fully' participating member. The recorded observations were transcribed at the end of each visit and analysed at three levels; i) the family behaviour was described and interpreted within Minuchin's (1974) Structural Family Theory to reveal functional relationships and invariant interpersonal dynamics, ii) the transcripts were analysed for repeated sequences of behaviour, decomposed by acts and classified using the Borgatta (1962) category system. A computer package summarised the data producing behavioural profiles and the search for pattern was accomplished using lag sequential analysis. The sequences are used to illustrate the roles adopted by family members and to characterise the relationships between them, and iii) a meta-analysis of the methodological problems, such as bias, reactivity, reliability and validity. Within and between observer reliability studies are carried out. Such observation involves the researcher directly and intimately with the group under study, raising important ethical issues, which it is argued are not unique to participant observation. This research has provided the opportunity to become sensitive to and seek solutions for these methodological problems and to describe family behaviour within an ecologically valid context.

University of Southampton
Vetere, Arlene Louise
Vetere, Arlene Louise

Vetere, Arlene Louise (1984) Participant observation in families with school-refusing children. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Four families were observed using the technique of participant observation. The research aimed to develop systematic and reliable methods to describe family structure and interaction. The observer lived-in the family home for week long periods as a 'fully' participating member. The recorded observations were transcribed at the end of each visit and analysed at three levels; i) the family behaviour was described and interpreted within Minuchin's (1974) Structural Family Theory to reveal functional relationships and invariant interpersonal dynamics, ii) the transcripts were analysed for repeated sequences of behaviour, decomposed by acts and classified using the Borgatta (1962) category system. A computer package summarised the data producing behavioural profiles and the search for pattern was accomplished using lag sequential analysis. The sequences are used to illustrate the roles adopted by family members and to characterise the relationships between them, and iii) a meta-analysis of the methodological problems, such as bias, reactivity, reliability and validity. Within and between observer reliability studies are carried out. Such observation involves the researcher directly and intimately with the group under study, raising important ethical issues, which it is argued are not unique to participant observation. This research has provided the opportunity to become sensitive to and seek solutions for these methodological problems and to describe family behaviour within an ecologically valid context.

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More information

Published date: 1984

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 459440
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/459440
PURE UUID: cdd57eb6-830f-4c06-a2fb-d884a76c979b

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 17:10
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 17:10

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Contributors

Author: Arlene Louise Vetere

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