Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Qualitative Methodology of Choice in Healthcare Research
Authors: Biggerstaff, Deborah1; Thompson, Andrew2
Source: Qualitative Research in Psychology, Volume 5, Number 3, July 2008 , pp. 214-224(11)
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Abstract:
This paper focuses on the teaching of the qualitative method, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), to healthcare professionals (HCPs). It introduces briefly the philosophical background of IPA and how it has been used within healthcare research, and then discusses the teaching of IPA to HCPs within received educational theory. Lastly, the paper describes how IPA has been taught to students/trainees in some specific healthcare professions (clinical psychology, medicine, nursing and related disciplines). In doing this, the paper demonstrates the essential simplicity, paradoxical complexity, and methodological rigour that IPA can offer as a research tool in understanding healthcare and illness from the patient or service user perspective.Keywords: interpretative phenomenological analysis; qualitative methodology; medical education; reflexivity; clinical health psychology; healthcare research
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1080/14780880802314304
Affiliations: 1: Institute of Clinical Education, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK 2: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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