DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The process of data analysis and interpretation is intensive and involves preparing data for the process of analysis, transcribing audio data into written form, doing the analysis, getting a deeper

understanding of the data and interpreting the data to get the holistic meaning and picture (Yin, 2009). In the quantitative component of the study, I used the prescribed scoring key for the RS which provided a resilience measure for each child. In the qualitative component of my study I used the interpretive and thematic approach which calls for a deeper understanding on how participants make sense of their experiences (Elliot, 2005). I analysed the meanings that the CHH attached to their experiences. I used direct quotes to support my interpretations. Hence data analysis involved interpretations of detailed descriptions of participants’ views, perceptions and experiences to develop emerging themes. The research findings from all the research participants’ submissions were mainly analysed using a generic process of analysing qualitative data as propounded by Creswell (2002: 191-193). I provide an outline of this generic qualitative data analysis process and how it matches the components of the current study.

Step 1

This step involves organising and preparing data for analysis. On this step I transcribed the interviews from the participants and typed up my field notes. I also organised and typed up responses from the problem solving activities, the TOL activity and consolidated the children’s responses on the RS 25 to come up with a score for each child.

Step 2

At this stage the researcher reads through all the data to get a general sense and feeling of all the information and reflecting on the overall meaning. I had to read and re- read all the transcripts, field notes, the answers from problem solving activities, the TOL activity, and the RS scores to

get an overall picture of the data. Throughout this reading process I wrote down notes on my thoughts.

Step 3

The stage involves the detailed analysis of the prepared material, the coding process which entails organising data into related chunks of information. At this stage, I went through the transcripts to get a feel of similar ideas emerging from them. The Atlas-ti7 was used to code the transcripts. Please refer to appendix G. I then manually reduced the number of codes by putting together those that were closely related. I engaged in this process until I had themes emerging that represented the coded data leading to step 4. An audit trail to this effect is provided on page 149.

Step 4

This step entails using the coded material to generate themes for analysis. The step also involved coming up with detailed descriptions of participants, their views and experiences. In qualitative research, the themes are usually written as sub headings and should be supported by various quotations on what the participants would have said. The themes in qualitative research can be used for various purposes depending on the type of design. In grounded theory, themes are used to develop a theoretical model and in case studies themes are analysed in each case study and across different case studies (Yin, 2009). In this study I analysed the themes coming from the research participants. Specific quotations from what the participants were saying were used to support the themes. The themes were connected to advance a process model that came out of the interconnections of the themes to explain the resilience factors in the CHH.

Step 5

This step entails providing the way the researcher proposes to present the themes and descriptions on paper. Qualitative research involves the use of many methods to achieve this. Written passages can be used to convey findings of the study, along with discussions of the themes, sub-themes and multiple perspectives from participants with supporting quotations (Glaser, 2001). Creswell et al. (2003) also suggest the use of visuals, figures, tables, process models and descriptive information about participants as ways of representing the findings. In this study I used written passages detailing the themes and multiple views coming from the participants. I also used process models to show the interconnections between the themes. In addition, figures and tables were also used to covey the findings.

Step 6

This final step entails interpreting the data to provide the meaning of it. According to Yin (2009) and Creswell (2002) the interpretation of qualitative research can include mentioning the lessons that were learnt from the study. It can also involve comparing findings with existing literature or suggest areas for further studies that address new questions that were raised by the study. Interpretation can also give rise to an action agenda for change in policies and intervention strategies. My interpretation of the current study satisfies all of the above mentioned requirements as suggested by Creswell (2002), on interpretation of qualitative research.

It is also important to note as mentioned earlier that although this study was mixed method in nature, it was skewed towards the qualitative component, hence the deeper concentration on qualitative concepts.

4.7.1 Audit trail

An audit trail is a description of the research steps taken to develop and report research findings to enable justification of emerging themes and conclusions based on findings (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Audit trails add an honest and authentic element to research findings. As Malterud (2001: 486) rightfully concluded, ‘declaring that qualitative analysis was done or stating that categories emerged when the material had been read by one or more persons is not sufficient to explain how and why patterns were noticed…. the reader needs to know the principles and choices underlying pattern recognition and category foundation’. Table 7 below shows the audit trail that led to the findings in this study. Ideas for this audit trail are adopted from Braun and Clarke (2006).

Table 7: Audit trail for the study

Recommended steps in thematic analysis Location of evidence

Step 1 Data familiarization Reading and re-reading the transcripts. Please refer to Appendix G for samples of transcripts.

Step 2 Generating initial codes.

The questions that guided me in this process were: what is being said, by who and how is it being said.

I used the Atlas-ti7 to code the the transcripts. Please refer to Appendix H.

NB the Atlas-ti7 was only used for the generation of the initial codes. Most of the analysis was done manually.

Step 3 Searching for themes I then combined similar codes from the initial codes to develop emerging themes from the transcripts. The Atlas-ti7 grouped the codes and also generated the frequency per code Please refer to appendix H.

Step 4 Defining and naming the themes I then had to find a common phrase that best described the emerging theme, for example, spirituality, and labour exploitation. I then incorporated the themes into the sub headings in my chapter 5 on results and these were supported by various quotations on what the participants would have said. Please refer to subtopics in chapter 5 for the subheadings that subsumed the emerging themes and quotations from the participants.

Step 5 Producing the report I then produced the initial report on the

findings. The codes and emerging themes were verified by colleagues, a registered

psychologist and a sociologist.

On-going reflexivity Reflexive memos are included in most chapters in the thesis. This enabled me to maintain objectivity throughout the study.