The IPA analysis

As discussed in Section 3.2 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

(IPA) was the method chosen to analyse the contents of the completed transcripts.

In accordance with this method the transcripts were read and re-read again and

again. Interesting or significant things that the interviewee said the emerging theme

titles were annotated on the left-hand margin. The skill required here was to find

sufficiently high level expressions that would make theoretical connections within

and across cases but which were still firmly implanted in the characteristic of the

particular thing said. It was essential in the first phase of the analysis to read the

transcript closely again and again to become thoroughly acquainted with the

content as it was shared. New insights could be gleaned every time it was read.

There were neither rules nor requirements about what was commented upon, about

the text being divided into meaning units or about a comment being given for each

unit. This means that the research scheme is flexible so that it can shift and change

as new insights develop. The comments consisted of efforts to summarise or

paraphrase associations or connections that came to mind, together with

preliminary interpretations.

Since similar themes came up when I went over the transcripts in the

second phase, involving the focusing-oriented therapists, the same theme titles

were repeated. I searched for connections between the emerging themes l had listed

on a sheet of paper. At this stage, the complete transcript was left intact and

particular passages were neither omitted nor selected for special attention. The

number of emerging themes portrayed the richness of the particular text. I looked

for the next stage is a theoretical ordering to connect the emergent themes in a

coherent way. The last stage dealt with moving from the final themes to writing up

and to making a final statement portraying the meanings encapsulated in the

interviewees’ experiences. I was careful at this point to avoid confusion between the respondent’s input and my own interpretation or account of it. This stage was concerned with translating the themes into a narrative account that detailed the

interesting and essential things about the participants’ responses and the interpretative analysis of them. These themes were illustrated, given a nuance and

explained.

Chapters 5 and 8 of the thesis consist of the analysis of this data. These two chapters are concerned with couple therapy and focusing-oriented therapy

respectively. The data therein have been presented in a way that ensures the voices

3.7 Ethical issues

Ethical research practice is a dynamic process which needs to be

monitored during data collection and analysis. Ethical considerations require that

no harm be done to the researcher or to the participants, that the participants are

well informed and that they voluntarily and willingly consent to the research. In

qualitative research in general, informed consent must be gained not only for

participation in data collection, but also for the likely outcomes of data analysis,

and particularly, the inclusion of verbatim extracts in published documents. While

people’s informed consent may allow access to private information and private settings, it is an ethical responsibility to ensure that this information is never used

in any way other than originally intended or in any way that would infringe on their

right to privacy.

Rights to privacy can be protected by anonymity and

confidentiality. Anonymity is achieved if there is nothing reported in the research

findings that would allow a participant to be identified. Therefore, I did not write

the names of the participants and I also wrote in such a way that the identity of the

participants cannot be detected. I honour confidentiality when I use the information

responsibly and I do not share information about the participant in ways that could

prejudice their interests, and specifically that I do not share information that

someone asks to be removed from the data. Both anonymity and confidentiality

deal with the real threat posed by giving information for one purpose if there is any

chance that it might be used for another purpose that could be harmful to the

participants. Without anonymity and confidentiality, the research participants might

Participants were made aware of BACP Ethical Guidelines for Research

in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Bond, 2004), which was followed throughout.

For ethical responsibility, informed consent was obtained for the usage of data.

Participants were briefed on the reasons for the research, the possibility of it being

published and the fact that pseudonyms were used to protect their anonymity as far

as possible. The names of places, countries and institutions were altered to

safeguard participants’ privacy.

Prior to the interviews with couple therapists and focusing-oriented

therapists, each participant received a letter or an email to obtain informed consent

(Appendix 1). Confidentiality was taken into account, especially in potential

situations where a commitment to confidentiality may be in conflict with other

ethical considerations. The responsibility of each participant to censor their

disclosures, along with the fact that they were free to withdraw at any time, were

clearly stated.

As detailed in Section 3.5, a total of 13 students gave their permission for

me to record their focusing sessions. In order to obtain permission, the written

permission ‘participation release agreement in the diploma course in focusing- oriented and experiential psychotherapy’ (Appendix 7) was given to the

participants, who in turn signed up if they were willing to have their focusing

session recorded. The written permission of the course director and co-director

(Appendix 8) were given and they signed it to permit any recordings of the

Chapter 4: Quantitative survey of the work of