Wellbeing Research in Developing Countries: Reviewing the Role of Qualitative Methods

Autor/inn/en	Camfield, Laura; Crivello, Gina; Woodhead, Martin
Titel	Wellbeing Research in Developing Countries: Reviewing the Role of Qualitative Methods
Quelle	In: Social Indicators Research, 90 (2009) 1, S.5-31 (27 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0303-8300
DOI	10.1007/s11205-008-9310-z
Schlagwörter	Poverty; Research Methodology; Foreign Countries; Well Being; Developing Nations; Social Indicators; Children; Adults; Holistic Approach; Social Science Research; Evaluation Methods; Qualitative Research; Research Projects; Longitudinal Studies; Bangladesh; Ethiopia; India; Peru; Thailand; Vietnam + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Armut; Research method; Forschungsmethode; Ausland; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Developing country; Developing countries; Entwicklungsland; Social indicator; Sozialer Indikator; Child; Kind; Kinder; Holistischer Ansatz; Social scientific research; Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung; Qualitative Forschung; Forschungsvorhaben; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Bangladesch; Äthiopien; Indien
Abstract	The authors review the contribution of qualitative methods to exploring concepts and experiences of wellbeing among children and adults living in developing countries. They provide examples illustrating the potential of these methods for gaining a holistic and contextual understanding of people's perceptions and experiences. Some of these come from Young Lives, an innovative long-term international research project investigating the changing nature of child poverty in India, Ethiopia, Peru and Vietnam (http://www.younglives.org.uk), and others from the Wellbeing in Developing Countries ESRC research group (WeD), an international, inter-disciplinary project exploring the social and cultural construction of wellbeing in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Thailand (http://www.welldev.org.uk). The authors show how qualitative methods can be used both alongside and as part of the development of sensitive and relevant quantitative measures, and provide some practical and methodological recommendations. They propose that qualitative approaches are essential in understanding people's experiences of wellbeing, both now and in the future. However, the authors caution that while these offer many benefits, for example, a less structured and hierarchical engagement between researcher and participant; they require time, energy, and sensitivity. Qualitative methods also work best when used by trained and experienced researchers working in the local language/s in a community where some rapport has already been established. Finally, the paper recommends combining data from qualitative and quantitative approaches (e.g. psychological measures or household surveys) to enhance its explanatory power. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10