Qualitative research critique

Qualitative Research Critique
Name
Institution

Summary of the Research
“The effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on children with disabilities” by Ries (2013) is a thesis that seeks to explore the effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) on children with disabilities using a qualitative study approach. The article is a primary source of data that entails conducting in-depth interviews with Animal-Assisted Therapists working with children with disabilities. The main research question that guided the research study was, “What are the effects of AAT on children with disabilities?”
This research study stems from the fact that an array of benefits are derived from animal-client interactions; yet, research to determine similar benefits among children with disabilities is lacking. Therefore, in order to bring out these benefits, a conceptual framework of strengths perspective and holistic health theory was applied to this theory (Ries 2013). The strengths perspective theory guides the process of AAT by focusing on the strengths of the individual instead of his or her weaknesses and insufficiencies. The identification of a client’s strengths helps to improve his or her quality of life and enhance the effectiveness of the therapy; the client becomes aware of his or her abilities and strengths that are used to formulate goals and objectives for the treatment process. The holistic approach, on the other hand, views the health of individual from all angles other than the mental domain only.

In addition to the mental domain, social, emotional, and physical domains are included to signify the role of the environment.
As mentioned earlier, a qualitative approach was used, and it entailed a narrative research design. This approach was relevant because it helps to weave the views and perceptions of individuals to form a cohesive story from which themes can be deduced (Sauro 2015). Six individuals were enrolled into the study through snowball sampling, which relies on referrals. There were no clear inclusion or exclusion criteria while enrolling the participants. All the participants were females; four of whom were clinicians using AAT while the other two were therapy dog owners that worked alongside other therapists. The researcher was solely involved in the data collection process. The researcher gave information sheets to some of the therapists who had to distribute the sheets to other therapists that meet the participation criteria, which is not indicated but the reader can deduce it from the title of the article. The researcher was able to get the phone numbers of all the therapists that provided AAT to children with disabilities. After making a phone call, the researcher explained the details of the research study and upon voluntarily agreeing to take part in the study, a time of convenience for both the researcher and the participant as well as a confidential location were determined. These were factored in to ensure that the research study complied with stipulated research ethical principles (Aluwihare-Samaranayake 2012). Semi-structured qualitative interviews aided in the collection of data. These interviews were recorded to aid in “transcription, analysis, and coding” of data (Ries 2013, p. 26).
Content analysis was used in analysis, where participant responses were coded to various themes from which similarities and differences were identified. Thereby, the themes were the mode through which data was interpreted. The participants noted that their clients suffered abuse, had autism spectrum disorders, as well as emotional/behavioral disorder (EBD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD). The environment in which the therapy took place ranged from private practice offices, hospitals, schools, and farms. Based on the notion that it is easier and less threatening to associate with kids, therapists used animal-client relationships to understand the children and their ability to form relationships. The interaction with animals helps the children to feel relaxed, involved, and at ease with the therapists, making the therapy session to yield effective outcomes because the tension that is usually evident between a therapist and a client fades away. Therefore, AAT is a useful approach that can be used to help clients develop a positive attitude towards the therapy. Subsequently, they are able to rub off the mentality that therapy is an interrogation exercise that culminates to taking medication. Participants that had an element of family inclusion noted the essence of family involvement as an avenue that helped family members to look into their family life and how they could interpret behavior of each other to ensure that a good atmosphere prevailed within the home. Hence, involving the family in AAT is an aspect that Animal-Assisted Therapists should consider. The AAT embraces the holistic approach that takes into account a client’s environment, by involving families. Using the AAT animal, families are aware of their interactions with one another; thereby, with the help of the therapist, they are able to understand each other, including their children with disabilities.
Critique
This study was the first of its kind to determine the effects of AAT on individuals with disabilities; thus, the use of an exploratory research to form basis for future more scientifically sound researches is acceptable (Dunkerley 2013). The researcher notes her attachment to AAT; thus, the emphasis on the positive effects of AAT could be influenced by her subjectivity. In agreement with this limitation, the researcher makes the reader believe that all the children liked the animals; yet, there are instances when children are afraid of animals. Also, she acknowledges that generalizability of these study results cannot be attained because of using a specific group that worked with the same population, and consisted of participants of the same gender and ethnicity. Other than these limitations by the researcher, snowball sampling is usually used when collecting data from a highly impenetrable group of participants as noted by the University of Surrey (2001). In this case, therefore, the researcher should have justified the use of snowball sampling because this sampling method is thought to go against the principles of sampling. Considering that the participants were from Minnesota, a more systematic form of sampling to achieve representativeness would have been adapted. It is not clear how the researcher settled for only six participants; there should have been a breakdown of the information sheets given initially, and the events that followed until the final sample of six was used.
In reference to Elo et al. (2014), the trustworthiness of this study has not been fully achieved considering the following constituents of trustworthiness: “credibility, dependability, conformability, and transferability.” An important facet of trustworthiness is the attainment of data saturation, which was not apparent in this case; hence, the insight obtained can only be used to form hypotheses for future research works. The fact that a clear inclusion/exclusion criteria were missing showed that the results were not adequately credible. In addition, given the specificity of the population used in this study, there is no certainty that the data obtained can stand the test of time. Accuracy of the data has been shown from the researcher’s point of view only; hence, the aspect of conformability has not been addressed.
Application
This research informs future experimental studies that can be used to validate the findings from this qualitative study. In addition, the research notes that this research can be used to determine the mediating role of Tellington Touch during AAT. Children with disabilities often portray difficulties when interacting with individuals, but the use of AAT helped them to connect and understand the process of interaction better based on the reaction of the animals. Subsequently, this helped to achieve therapy goals faster and effectively, and the use of AAT can be used to achieve similar positive outcomes in real-time therapy sessions. This study shows that the use of AAT can be extended to children with disabilities. In addition, institutions providing mental health care should incorporate the element of family involvement because it has been shown to enhance the treatment outcomes. This discovery can be applied to practice through a step-wise approach that will require researchers to use their findings to convince the administration of various institutions dealing with children having disabilities. Whereas it might be easy to get AAT animals within an institution, having these animals accompany wherever they go might be a challenge since they are not protected under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Therefore, in reference to the strategies used in the study, the child can carry picture along with him or her that can remind him or her of the AAT animal and thereby, gain the emotional stability required of them when in various environments.

References
Aluwihare-Samaranayake, D. (2012). Ethics in Qualitative Research: A View of the Participants’ and Researchers’ World from a Critical Standpoint. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 11(2), 64-81.
Dunkerley, D. (2013). The Foreman: Aspects of Task and Structure. New York, NY: Routledge.
Elo, S., Kääriäinen, M., Kanste, O., Pölkki, T., Utriainen, K., & Kyngäs, H. (2014). Qualitative Content Analysis: A Focus on Trustworthiness. SAGE Open. doi: 10.1177/2158244014522633.
Ries, A. E. (2013). The Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Children with Disabilities (Master’s Dissertation). Retrieved from http://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/254.
Sauro, J. (2015). 5 types of qualitative methods. Retrieved from https://www.measuringu.com/blog/qual-methods.php.
University of Surrey. (2001). Social Research Update. United Kingdom: Author.