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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #365918
Title: A primer on mixed methods for pediatric researchers

Author
item WU, YELENA - University Of Utah
item DEATRICK, JANET - University Of Pennsylvania
item MCQUAID, ELIZABETH - Brown University
item Thompson, Deborah - Debbe

Submitted to: Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/31/2019
Publication Date: 7/1/2019
Citation: Wu, Y.P., Deatrick, J.A., McQuaid, E.L., Thompson, D.J. 2019. A primer on mixed methods for pediatric researchers. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsz052.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsz052

Interpretive Summary: Mixed methods research (i.e., a blending of qualitative and quantitative research paradigms) can lead to important insights not readily available from either method alone. However, few researchers understand how to utilize this method to its fullest potential. We published a primer designed to guide researchers interested in conducting this type of research. Designing and conducting mixed methods research studies properly will contribute to advances in research with children and families, such as intervention development and evaluation and the creation of new tools and assessment methods. Together, these advances have the potential to contribute to greater insight into ways to promote more healthful choices and relationships in children and families. This research has important implications for researchers, children and families.

Technical Abstract: Our objective is to provide a primer on conducting and analyzing mixed methods research studies, and to provide guidance on the write-up of mixed methods research. A question and answer format is used to provide an overview of mixed methods research study designs, tasks and considerations related to conducting and analyzing mixed methods studies, and recommendations for the write-up of results for mixed methods studies. Individuals who conduct mixed methods research are encouraged to delineate the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods features of the research and how these features fit with the overall study questions. Research teams will benefit from including individuals with expertise in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. Data integration should be a central component to the analysis and write-up of mixed methods research. Increasing the use of mixed methods research in the field of pediatric psychology will contribute to advances in observational studies with children and families, intervention development and evaluation, and creation of new tools and assessments that aim to optimize child and family health outcomes.