A_Thematic_Analysis_of_a_Qualitative_Research_Interview

A thematic analysis of a qualitative research interview exploring how, adults perceive that significant others in their lives have affected their development. Abstract Attachment theorists claim that vertical relationships during childhood years have effects on later horizontal relationships in adulthood. Making use of different perspectives of attachment theory, this qualitative study examines how an adult perceives that the effects of childhood relationships with significant others affected their development. Qualitative analysis was carried out on a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis of that interview illustrated how an adult perceived that childhood attachments affected their development and later adult relationships, and the shift allowing earned security through a revised internal working model. Introduction The perspective used in this research was social constructionist; that is, who we are is shaped by the people we interact with in social settings. The ontology adopted within this research views humans as being able to talk about the meanings of their experiences and the epistemology is linked to the ontological assumption. This explains why an insider viewpoint is taken and why analysing people’s experiences and meanings is so important. Within the realms of psychology there are theories that address the issue of whether our vertical relationships in childhood determine events in our horizontal relationships in later life. Attachment theory suggests childhood experiences do have an impact on later life. John Bowlby, a key figure in the development of attachment theory, proposed that relationship patterns acquired in early vertical relationships are internalised and form the basis of how that individual maintains horizontal relationships in adulthood (Bretherton, 1997, as cited in Wood et al., 2007, p.344). Arguably the most important part of Bowlby’s attachment theory is his notion that infants form an internal working model (IWM) which is based upon their experiences of early relationships with attachment figures (as cited in Wood et al, 2007). The IWM will be maintained through infancy and into adulthood, providing a template for social interactions. An infant whose attachment figure is responsive and loving is more likely to develop an IWM in which they consider themselves worthy of love and will expect to receive love and comfort from others. This is accompanied by higher levels of security, self-esteem and self-confidence. These qualities characterise children who are securely attached. In contrast, a child whose attachment figure is non-responsive and unloving will develop an IWM that is not expectant of love and comfort from others and leads to feelings of insecurity. Ainsworth developed a method for assessing attachment in infants which has now become a standard experimental technique for attachment researchers (as cited in Wood et al, 2007, p,30). Her strange situation experiment involves an infant being separated from their primary caregiver, the infant being left with a stranger and reuniting the infant with the primary caregiver. This experiment identified three main attachment types (A) insecure, anxious avoidant, (B) secure and (C) insecure anxious ambivalent. These attachment types indicate the ways in which a child's IWM may operate (Wood et al, 2007, p. 31). Hazan and Shaver 1987 (as cited in Wood et al, 2007, pp. 23-25) conducted research which made use of the three attachment types identified by Ainsworth et al 1978 (as cited in Wood et al, 2007, pp. 30-31). Hazan and Shaver developed a love quiz (a self-report measure) which was published in a U.S. newspaper to gather data on peoples attachment styles in romantic relationships. More than 1200 people responded and of those, 56% classed themselves as (B) secure, 25% classed themselves as (A) avoidant and 19% classed themselves as (C) ambivalent. A further finding was that secure respondents reported their romantic relationships lasted for twice the length of time of the insecure respondents relationships. Mary Main et al developed a way of studying attachment in adults by conducting a standardised form of interview (Wood et al, 2007, p.26). These interviews had a set structure with questions that could give insights into how adults describe their childhood relationships with their parent figures. Main identified three adult attachment classifications which participants positioned themselves in, over the course of the interview. These were insecure: dismissing (a dismissing narrative), secure: autonomous (an autonomous narrative) and insecure: preoccupied (a preoccupied narrative). Main and Goldwyn went on to further explore the secure autonomous classification and found that people within this group did not necessarily have a happy childhood. On the contrary some had very difficult childhoods but developed strategies for coming to terms with this and moving on. Main and Goldwyn’s concept that security does not have to be achieved through attachments in childhood but can be achieved through strong and positive adult relationships has been labelled ‘earned security’ (as cited in Wood et al, 2007, p.27). This qualitative study aims to explore the research question of ‘how adults perceive that significant others in their lives have affected their development’ using evidence from the different perspectives of attachment theory. Method The material I was presented with to analyse was a DVD of a re-constructed semi-structured interview carried out by Helen Lucey (The Open University, 2007). The interviewee (played by an actor), was an anonymous female participant referred to as Chloe. A line numbered transcript of the interview was also made available on The Open University website (appendix 1). Prior to the interview taking place, the interviewer explained which subjects the interview would cover and why this was important, all ethical considerations were also taken into account. The interviewee was then informed that she was free to withdraw from the research at any time and that any data collected would be destroyed or returned. By using a semi-structured interview, the data collected is in the interviewee’s own words, which is consistent with the ontology of a social constructionist point of view. Having watched the recording and having read through the transcript of the interview several times I began first order coding by underlining and labelling important information throughout the transcript. Second order coding was then carried out whereby this information was interpreted and condensed down into a smaller number of descriptive codes. Third order coding was then carried out whereby theses codes were condensed further into a group of four overarching themes that occurred throughout the interview. Analysis When analysing the transcript, taking into account the research question of “how adults perceive that significant others in their lives have affected their development”, four key themes were found, responsibility, loss, blame and personal growth. The theme of responsibility was particularly evident when Chloe was speaking of the role reversal she had to undergo following her father’s departure [lines 27-32]. …And I think I sort of, I tried to fill that gap somehow, and, umm fill in for my dad and sort of be, be a grown-up… …I sort of took on that “I’m a strong and helpful person” role, and so I wasn’t sort of being little any more… Responsibility was also key, when speaking of her mother’s feelings and the sense that her own feelings were somehow less important [lines 33-34 and 137-138]. …She was very depressed and very sad and…and just very sort of needy and there wasn’t really sort of much room for me … …You know, I felt very…I felt very responsible for her happiness… When speaking of her first husband, the interviewee again took responsibility for her mother’s feelings, describing how a sense of guilt overcame her [lines 104-112]. …I got very sort of depressed after we got married… …I’d left her, I’d got married and I was very happy, so I felt really bad about that, and I felt like I was deserting her… The theme of loss is highlighted right at the beginning of the interview when Chloe talks about the loss of her father [lines 20-23 and 60-61]. …He left when I was about eight, and that’s when I sort of…that’s what I sort of link things back to the most I suppose… …My dad left when I was about eight and we didn’t see him for, for years. So he just sort of completely vanished… Later Chloe also speaks about the loss of her maternal grandmother and how this affected her mother [lines 45-46]. …She had a hard time, I mean she was…I think her mum died when she was about four… This also links into the next theme of blame with Chloe reasoning that her mother was the way she was because of this [47-50]. …You sort of see things, how my mum was with me and the repercussions that that had and, and then you look at somebody else’s history, and you think well, you know… The theme of blame runs throughout the interview. When speaking about her father leaving [lines 23-27] Chloe says, …My mother was very, very sort of affected by that. She changed a lot when, when he left… …When he left she just became really, really down and very, very needy… When speaking of the lack of emotional support from her mother [lines 34-35 and 54] Chloe states, …It felt as if everything was, was to do with what she needed… …It’s all to do with, with her feelings … The final theme that was found in the interview was Chloe’s ability to achieve personal growth. This was particularly evident towards the end of the interview where Chloe began to speak more positively with regards to her current partner [lines 116-122]. … It’s a very different kind of story from any relationship that I’ve had before… …I feel like I’m allowed more, more feelings… Also with regard to her mother, Chloe shows huge personal growth speaking of a much healthier and happier relationship [lines 140-158]. …I don’t know, it just sort of separated the two things into a better place. So I didn’t feel guilty, I didn’t feel so bad… …I’d made a space and wasn’t, wasn’t feeling like it was my fault or my duty or my, my, my job to make her happy and to make everything all right for her… Discussion The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the research question of how adults perceive that significant others in their life have affected their development. The attachment theory that I felt appeared most relevant to this qualitative study in particular was the work carried out by Main et al, and subsequently the work done by Main and Goldwyn. Main’s description of the secure autonomous adult attachment classification is: “An autonomous narrative is one in which the person acknowledges the importance of relationships to them, both in the present and during their childhood and talks freely and in some depth about past and present attachments. Richly described examples are given of both positive and negative experiences, and the person shows a capacity to integrate these. Insight is shown into the motives and feelings of others, and into influences on the self”. It is my view that the interviewee fits into this ‘secure’ classification and the reasons for this are as follows: When talking about relationships with her mother in particular and also with her father, the interviewee is clearly able to acknowledge the importance of these relationships. She is able to speak freely of these relationships, both in her childhood when things were difficult for her and in the present when things are much improved. The interviewee also speaks freely about her romantic relationships in adulthood. The interviewee’s descriptions of her life experiences, positive and negative, are extremely vivid and these events are integrated into her life story. The interviewee gives clear insight into the motives and feelings of others and into influences on herself. This is shown when Chloe speaks of the death of her maternal grandmother and how this event had repercussions upon on her own mother and in turn, upon herself. When speaking of the lack of emotional support that the interviewee received from her mother, she was able to relate to, why this was the case. The interviewee shows insight also when speaking about the departure of her father and the effect that this event had upon her mother. The interviewee’s narrative with her difficult childhood attachments and later positive adult relationships is congruous to Main and Goldwyn’s later theory of ‘earned security’ whereby an individual’s security does not have to be achieved through attachments in childhood but can be achieved through positive relationships in adulthood. It could be argued that the interviewee shows signs of being insecure. It could be said that she appears preoccupied with events and becomes somewhat repetitive; however my personal analysis would not concur with this and I would remain in my view that supports Main and Goldwyn’s theory.