Parental decision making. UHL habilitation. GT feasibility study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A feasibility study to determine whether a grounded theory approach is effective in understanding the habilitation decisions parents make about their children with unilateral hearing loss.
IRAS ID
184662
Contact name
Helen Pryce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
There is currently no consensus on how children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) should be managed. This feasibility study aims to assess whether a Grounded Theory (GT) approach is effective for understanding the habilitation decisions that parents/guardians make about their children with UHL. We aim to determine whether or not the following methods are feasible for a proposed larger study, to design a shared decision making (SDM) tool for these families.
Parents/guardians of children with UHL currently managed at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be sent project information. To participate their children must have UHL defined as, hearing thresholds less than or equal to 20 dBHL in the better ear and greater than 40dBHL in the poorer ear. They must be at least three years of age and have no significant additional needs. The parents/guardians must be English speaking.
Those that provide an expression of interest will be purposefully sampled. Consent will be requested at the start of each participant led, 40-60 minute interview. This will be audio recorded, memoed, anonymously transcribed and then analysed to uncover pertinent topics. The thematic analysis of each subsequent interview will inform theoretical sampling which will determine the next interview participant(s).
Approximately 10 interviews will be carried out and analysed using a constant comparative method to generate in-vivo codes. These codes will undergo triangulation by an experienced qualitative researcher. Approximately four participants will then be provided with a preliminary report for their validation.
The feasibility of this methodology for the proposed main study will then be assessed with reference to: recruitment; retention; participant acceptance of methods; risks; whether a SDM tool is warranted and whether the themes generated have a more general application. The expected completion date is 21 May 2016.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0387
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion