2021 Volume 40 Issue 2 Pages 139-157
Introduction:As a growing number of researchers around the world are using mixed methods research, occupational therapy researchers need to know the essentials and power of this investigative approach. The purpose of this article is:1) to review fundamental characteristics of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research approaches, 2) to explain the features of the three core mixed methods designs and illustrate each with exemplar research studies from the field of occupational therapy, and 3) to review integration features across the chosen occupational therapy mixed methods research studies. Results:There were many integration features found among the three exemplar occupational therapy research studies. Examples of integration were found in the titles that conveyed the research as having been conducted using mixed methods procedures. The studies illustrated integrated purpose statements that explicitly or implicitly conveyed that both types of data were to be collected. Each study used a specific mixed methods design name. Across the three exemplar papers, there are excellent examples of the integration intent during the data collection phase, namely, connecting, building, matching, comparing. These papers further feature integration intents and procedures during the analysis, namely, merging, transforming data, and creating joint displays. Discussion:These exemplar studies illustrate how occupational therapy researchers are using many of the latest integration strategies in mixed methods research. This review may be helpful to occupational therapy researchers as they interpret published mixed methods studies conducted by their occupational therapy colleagues, and for harnessing the power of mixed methods research in their own studies.
