I argue that in this inductive case study the conceptual framework has been used both as guiding map and as a set of relationships (Leshem and Trafford, 2007:7).
However, I must admit that for about five years of the research, this was not the situation at all. Throughout that period of time, I felt confused and sensed that I was drowning in the enormous amount of the evidence and the data and probably seriously misunderstood the meaning of the conceptual framework. I had many ideas about the topic but I could not see the whole picture. During that period I even wrote-up the analysis part of the thesis but later on, I understood that I had completely lost the correct direction and since I had taken the wrong path, the research would never end. I therefore decided to start again from the beginning.
Slowly, in the last 4 years things became clearer and understandable, it is reasonable to assume that it happened partly after I wrote-up the theoretical perspective part, and that this engendered the long process of changing my way of thinking - I stopped think as a dramatherapist and was able to accept the fact that I am a researcher. Overcoming this obstacle enabled me to organise my ideas and use the concepts that were already established in my mind in a wide picture. Since then I continually visualised the conceptual framework diagram and the graphical structure of the relationship between the components; it helped me at each step to remain focused and maintain the boundaries of the research.
I needed this guiding map, enabling me to stride forwards in the right direction. It guided me in the further stages of the research, especially in designing the fieldwork part and to decide what this part should include; seeking for the correct theories that would underpin the concepts and completing the writing of the theoretical perspective part; and mostly in the analysis and interpretation stage which was re-written. Eventually, the deep understanding I gained from the conceptual framework scheme, helped me to use it accurately in the discussion and conclusion parts of the research.
Adopting the scheme of Trafford and Leshem (2003:6) for analysis and interpretation (part 3 chapter 15 section 15.2) I also used it as a guiding tool. The clear structure of the scheme assisted my construction of the conceptual
framework components in a logic order; to perceive the relationships and the overlaps between them, and to understand that the implicit overlapping areas should be analysed and interpreted. To turn the scheme into a verbal explanation was an illuminating process; at last I felt that all the puzzle's parts were organised in the correct order. I sensed confidence in the way that the analysis and the interpretation of the evidence encompassed all my latent ideas and thoughts about the researched phenomenon and was able to express them accurately. It was a very creative process due to the many new ideas that had been revealed during the writing of the analysis, enriching the explanations; while simultaneously I could trace the conclusions as they emerged from each step of the interpretation and the analysis of the conceptual framework components. I was especially helped at this stage by relying on Leshem and Trafford's (2007:103) enlightening figure that explains the technical, practical and conceptual aspects of doctoral research and the different levels of thinking involved.
The set of the gathered conclusions enabled me to distinguish the factual from the interpretational conclusions. Then, I distanced myself from these conclusions and the individual case. Using general, comprehensive points of view on the researched phenomenon and depending on the well-established and explained innovative concepts; I was able to transcend to the highest level of thinking and to create the conceptual conclusions.
Summary
This chapter explained the features of the conceptual framework and its importance in understanding the relationships between its constituent components and how it was used as a necessary map.
In sum, Part II reviewed and discussed the underlying theoretical perspectives of the research, explaining the new concepts and the positive theoretical basis that facilitate deeper comprehension of the PTSD recovery. These components formed the underpinning foundation of the research's conceptual framework, whose significance as a guiding map was explained. Part III below presents the research design and methodology.
P
ARTIII: R
ESEARCHD
ESIGN ANDM
ETHODOLOGYIntroduction
This part reviews the research methods that were employed. It provides the underlying rationale for the choice of the qualitative naturalistic-subjectivist paradigm and the interpretative inductive case study method and design. In addition to my reliance on and belief in my particular humanist, involved and voluntary manner, the research was founded on the humanistic-existentialistic world-view as the research philosophy.
Chapter 9 describes the considerations involved in the choice of the qualitative research as opposed to the quantitative approach, while Chapter 10 discusses the specific case study method with a sample of N=1 and explains the reasons that phenomenology was not employed in this research.
Chapter 11 sets out the rationale and practice of inductive design; while Chapter 12 shows how different tools were used for data-collection.
Finally Chapter 13 deals with the issues of the reliability and validity of research in general and the ways in which I coped with these issues including the ethical considerations that arose during the research and the specific difficulties involved in the present study. Chapter 14 summarises the entire research process and provides the research time-line.
Chapter 9: The Choice of Paradigm - Naturalism
Introduction
This chapter discusses the reasons for my decision to adopt the naturalistic-subjectivist paradigm in preference to the positivistic-objectivist paradigm. The nature of this case study suits the characteristics of this paradigm and its philosophical perspective since it originated in real life subjective experience and encompasses unconscious and latent processes which were ascribed specifically to the single client. Considering that dramatherapy is a relatively new profession, the scarcity of a substantial body of doctoral research is perhaps understandable. So, this chapter reviews the different research approaches to the more general issue of psychotherapy.