Justification for a Mixed Methodological Approach

Recent studies has revealed the unique nature of talent development pathways encountered by elite sports performers and encouraged future sport specific talent development research to avoid the notion of a generic optimal performance development by focussing instead upon unique individual performer pathways (e.g., Abbott & Collins, 2004; Abbott, Button, Pepping, & Collins, 2005; Phillips et al., 2010a; Toms, 2005). For this reason, employing a mixed methods approach to undertake future talent development research may be a more compatible approach for exploring and understanding the unique experiences that sports performers encounter as they develop. A further criticism of the existing literature has been the tendency to rely solely on a single strategy as opposed to mixed approaches which may restrict the potential to explore the multifaceted talent development process and explain the meanings of findings obtained (e.g., Côté, 1999).

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Quantitative and qualitative approaches represent contrasting and distinct views of the research process (Creswell, 2008). Quantitative methodologies are characterised by testing theories and hypotheses and a structured data collection process in which researchers undertake a reasonably passive and distant role in the data collection process. On the other hand, qualitative methodologies embrace a humanistic perspective which focuses on the individual and the meanings they attach to the world or environment they live in (Bryman, 2008). As there are strengths and weaknesses associated with the range of methodologies that have been employed within the existing sports expertise literature (Holt & Dunn, 2004), a growing amount of researchers have encouraged the use of mixed paradigms and methods in the research process (e.g., Biddle et al., 2001; Creswell, 2008). Hardy and associates (1996, p.259) also stated “at times it is best to use qualitative methods, and at other times a quantitative approach. Since both methods have strengths and limitations, sometimes it may also be advisable to combine the two approaches”. Prior to the 1970`s, the quantitative approach to undertaking research which embraced a natural science model was the dominant paradigm within the social sciences. However, the philosophical debates concerning the value of combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research have receded in recent decades and mixed methods research has become both well accepted and utilised since over the past forty years within disciplines including nursing, management and health (Creswell, 2008).

Mixed methods approaches to research differ from multi-methods approaches in that they adopt a mixture of ontological and epistemological positions that complement each other (Creswell & Plano, 2006). Smith (2010, p.202) defined mixed methods research as “a research strategy that involves mixing or combining quantitative or qualitative research approaches, concepts, techniques, and methods into a single study”. He also

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stated how mixed method research designs are an effective strategy to employ when examining a particular concept that is best understood through both exploration and explanation. Although not as popular as single or multi-approaches, examples of mixed methodology talent development research do exist in the extant sports expertise literature. For example, Gould et al., (1996a) incorporated mixed methods to examined burnout in competitive junior tennis players in which a range of quantitatively focused psychological assessments and qualitative interviews were undertaking. This aim of this approach was to produce data whereby the qualitative findings (e.g. characteristics and reasons for burnout) would offer explanation and meaning to the quantitative data initially collated (e.g. demographic, social and psychological differences between those who did and did not suffer burnout). More recently, Weissensteiner et al., (2008) used a mixed methods approach comprising a laboratory based batting task and retrospective interviews to examine the link between anticipation skills of high performing and recreational cricket batsmen and their sports participation and practice histories.

Smith (2010) also discussed how mixed methods research capitalises on the strengths of different approaches, increases the validity of research findings and allows for deeper examination of behaviours and meanings in sport from a much wider perspective. According to Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004), mixed methods designs may also add insight and understanding to a research project that may have been overlooked by single approaches in the past and enable researchers to answer a more complete range of research questions as they are not confined to a single approach. From a negative viewpoint, they also acknowledged how mixed methodology research may be expensive and time consuming to undertake and is generally reliant on more than one researcher as it may be difficult to carry out both qualitative and quantitative research individually, especially if the two or more approaches are used simultaneously. An example of this

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approach would be data separation analysis (Creswell, 2008) which comprises both quantitative and qualitative data sets being analysed separately where one does not influence or inform the other will be adopted throughout the thesis. Mixed methods designs can also utilise either a parallel or sequential design to collate data. The parallel approach involves the collection of quantitative and qualitative data during the same time phase of a research study whereas the sequential design comprises quantitative and qualitative approaches occurring in a sequence with one phase occurring before the other (Smith, 2010). Subsequently, this thesis combined both quantitative and qualitative approaches to undertake research into the role of deliberate practice in developing adolescent golfing excellence. It is hoped the aims and objectives of the thesis may be best answered through this approach and allow for greater scrutiny into the sport participation trends and types, amounts, intensities and durations of practice regimes which differentiate elite and aspiring elite adolescent golfers.