The study population

Selection and recruitment of participants

A study population consists of people to whom the researcher can gain access and who have the appropriate knowledge and experience for the research topic (Holloway & Galvin, 2016). In selecting and recruiting participants, the researcher was guided by the research question and the methodology selected for the study. Consistent with grounded theory methodology, recruitment commenced through purposive sampling. This type of sampling is criterion-based. As data collection and analysis progressed, theoretical sampling was used to collect new data to compare emerging categories. Theoretical sampling was sampling based on the emerging theory and continued until saturation was reached, that is, until no new categories or relevant themes were identified (Corbin & Strauss, 2015).

The inclusion criteria used in the current study were:

• Men and women aged 65 years and over;

• Living in their own home;103

• Not in full-time paid employment;

• Self-reported diagnosis of depression for which treatment and/or support is currently being received from a treating clinician, such as a GP, mental health nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist;

• A score of at least 25 on the K10, which indicates moderate depression; and

• Ability to communicate in conversational English. The exclusion criteria used in this study were:

• Currently receiving inpatient treatment for an acute episode of depression; and

• Suicide intent or attempt within the past week.

Participant recruitment took place between January and September 2016 (Figure 2). To assist recruitment, the researcher developed an information flyer explaining the study and inviting contact from interested individuals.104 Recruitment occurred mainly through community organisations that provided services or support to older adults, or to people with mental health issues. Organisations identified for this purpose included community centres, neighbourhood houses, lawn bowls clubs, Probus clubs and senior citizens' groups. The researcher asked to attend regularly scheduled meetings of groups of older adults, at which information about the study was presented to those who were present. She also left information and contact details about the study at these meetings.105 Requests were made to professional organisations, such as the Council on the Aged (Victoria Branch) and the Association of Independent Retirees, to circulate information on the study to their members. Moderated online forums and email networks were also used to promote the study to prospective participants. In all, the researcher contacted 128 organisations over nine months to recruit 32 participants.106 On contacting the researcher,

103 _{This criterion refers to people who own, rent, share or otherwise occupy a home in the community; that is, they do not live in a} supported or residential facility.

104 _{See Appendix A (Information flyer).}

105 _{People were not asked to indicate their interest in these social settings, as a way to protect their anonymity.} 106 _{See Appendix B (Sample of organisations asked to promote call for participants).}

prospective participants were given a detailed explanation of the study, during which they were assured that their participation was voluntary and that their information would be treated as confidential. The researcher invited questions to be asked about the study and suggested that they take their time before deciding to participate. Written consent was required prior to the collection of any data.

Ten individuals were ineligible to participate in the study, because:

• Their score on the K10 was too high (n=2);107

• They had received no formal diagnosis of depression (n=5); and

• They were not currently receiving treatment and/or support for depression (n=3).

Figure 2: The process of recruiting participants

The final number of participants required to achieve data saturation of the main categories is considered a strength of the study.108 However, the recruitment process was challenging and several targeted calls for participants were unsuccessful. To illustrate, the researcher

107 _{See 5.2.2 (Screening of participants).} 108 _{See 13.2.1 (Strengths).}

was welcomed into several branches of Men’s Sheds109 and U3A groups,110 where members spoke openly about their knowledge of depression. However, no participants were recruited through these networks. Difficulties in recruiting participants may have been due to stigma and an associated reluctance of individuals with depression to share their experiences (Conner et al., 2015; Sjöberg et al., 2017). Other frequently cited deterrents to participation include time demands, medical problems and concerns about confidentiality (Blackstone, 2012). In the current study, the researcher sought to overcome these challenges by using a wide range of recruitment strategies, as described above.

Entering the field

For most researchers, qualitative data is virtually synonymous with fieldwork, interviews and background documents that put the research into context (Denzin & Lincoln, 2013). Field researchers use the strategies of questioning, observing and listening to immerse themselves in the real world of the participants (Holloway & Galvin, 2016). They also map the scene and observe patterns, arrangements and activities (Blackstone, 2012). The extent of these activities varies according to the methodology, participants and setting.111

The grounded theory researcher most commonly collects data in the usual environment in which the phenomenon occurs—that is, in the field—through interviews and observations. The fundamental aspect of fieldwork is to position researchers as close as possible to their participants (Blackstone, 2012). Fieldwork yields very detailed data and emphasises the role and relevance of each participant’s social context (Blackstone, 2012). As researchers become acquainted with the research setting, they seek to discover and explain what people do in their everyday lives and what their actions mean to them (Erickson, 2013). In this way, fieldwork enables a greater understanding of the intricacies and complexities of daily life, with a focus on the phenomenon under investigation. It also offers flexibility, as researchers can extend data collection to establish and fully

109 _{Men’s Sheds are community spaces created for older men to socialise while participating in a range of practical activities, often} woodwork or other maintenance and/or repair tasks (Culph et al., 2015).

110 _{U3A is an international organisation for non-competitive life-long education and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake (U3A} Network Vic, 2016). Each learning community is organised by and for people who are active in retirement (the so-called Third Age of their lives).

111 _{For example, Dewalt et al. (2000) suggest that ethnographic research requires at least one year of fieldwork to gain sufficient} insight through participant observation.

explore different views, diversify their sample to analyse differences in experiences or focus on a certain point of interest (Blackstone, 2012).112 The flexibility inherent in fieldwork assumes special importance in grounded theory, as data often lead the researcher in unanticipated directions (Charmaz, 2014). However, fieldwork can be challenging. It is extremely time intensive and, by demanding a great deal of involvement on the part of the researcher, it can be emotionally taxing (Blackstone, 2012). The researcher must also address logistical issues, such as negotiating entry to the field. Because of time, resource and other practical considerations, entry to the field occurs to varying degrees.

After gaining approval from the university’s Human Research Ethics Committee, the researcher contacted organisations to recruit participants and negotiate access to events which potential participants may attend, such as meetings or social activities. Fieldwork consisted of interviewing participants in their own homes or in neutral settings,113 and attending events at which observations could be conducted. Upon entering the field, the simultaneous collection and analysis of data commenced. This required careful and efficient management of the data.