Constructivist Grounded Theory

Interviews were selected as the most pertinent means of gathering data from the participants, as insights, opinions and feelings were sought, and these could not effectively be captured by questionnaires (Denscombe 2007). Constructivist grounded theory's epistemological underpinnings emphasised the interactive relationship between myself, as researcher, and the participants in the research process, and bring the centrality of the researcher to the methodological forefront (Mills et al 2006b). Therefore the establishment of relationships with participants that explicate power imbalances must be considered (Kvale and Brinkmann 2009), and strategies utilised to modify these imbalances (Mills et al 2006b). Where possible the interviews took place …show more content…
The social dynamics of the peer group were used to afford an atmosphere of support (Denscombe 2007) and to create a permissive environment where participants would feel comfortable discussing and reflecting upon their true opinions, rather than saying what they think the interviewer would want to hear or what those in authority would want them to say (Kvale and Brinkmann 2009). The focus group participants were not previously known to the researcher and each selected a Bollywood actor or actress's name to be identified by; this assured anonymity and also served to create an informal group cohesion to make the group feel at ease. There was no attempt to try and reach a consensus regarding the issues discussed. The emphasis was on hearing all the participants' perspectives and feelings around their and other Indian physiotherapists' global mobility. The group discussions became more lively and interactive as the sessions progressed, moving from an interview to group conversation as the participants became more relaxed. At all times the participants were sensitive and responsive to others