Qualitative and Mixed Methods Projects

I enjoy having students who are excited to learn new methods and also ask questions about the way science works and its basis. They also tend to have interests in qualitative and critical research methods. Students in our lab learn and use both quantitative and qualitative methods to conduct their research. As part of my advocacy for qualitative methods, I have chaired the committee to develop design and review standards for the Society for Qualitative Inquiry in Psychology and reporting standards for qualitative research for the American Psychological Association (APA) Style and their Publication Manual. Methods-related writings are often collaborative projects to reflect upon qualitative methods in relation to gender, LGBTQ, and psychotherapy research.

Students who work with me should see the development of mixed methods research skills as a central career goal as well as being interested in developing strengths in multiple forms of psychotherapies.

· Qualitative research methods: Although my research programs always incorporate mixed methods research (both qualitative and quantitative methods), my work is increasingly focused upon methodology and considering aspects of qualitative, critical, and mixed methods. Lab projects have included co-writing chapters and articles on critical-constructivist grounded theory (Levitt, 2021) and on methodological integrity in relation to critical methods (e.g., Levitt, Morrill, Collins & Rizo, in press) or topics (e.g., counseling research; Levitt, Morrill, & Collins, 2020).

· Conceptualizations of evidence in psychotherapy research: In my lab, we consider how the types of methods are intertwined with distinctive sets of mental health values and psychotherapy approaches. By arguing for more inclusive methodology, we are also increasing the inclusion of findings that span a wider range of psychotherapy research cultures (as well as geopolitical zones). Some recent projects are focused on the evidentiary bases for psychotherapy guidance and methods.

· Likely upcoming projects: Projects that are methodological in aim are usually side projects and may be available in the coming year, depending on activities in the lab. These might include thinking about the impact of feminist-multicultural-critical beliefs upon methods, or of beliefs about what constitutes evidence (and the information/perspectives that fall through the cracks because of these beliefs!). Students typically are involved in multiple side collaborations with myself and other students during the course of a student's enrollment.

There may be opportunities to collaborate on writings on critical-constructivist grounded theory (Levitt, 2021) or on issues related to qualitative meta-synthesis. If there is a topic or method that students are interested in learning and writing about, we often can generate studies that can promote their learning in that area within the existing databases within our lab or new projects as well.