The value of qualitative research
A couple of weeks ago, an editorial appeared in Physical Therapy that gave a very strong justification for the use of qualitative research by physiotherapists. It’s somewhat surprising, these days, that qualitative research even needs defending, but the authors - Alan Jette, Clare Delany, and Mari Lundberg - gave a very clear and concise overview of some of its principles and virtues, citing authors well known to many of you.
As part of the review, Jette, Delany and Lundberg kindly singled out the first critical physiotherapy reader - Manipulating Practices for special attention. Here is what they wrote about the book:
If readers of PTJ would like to explore some outstanding examples of qualitative research in our profession, we recommend downloading Manipulating Practices, the first-ever collection of critical qualitative studies and reflections in physical therapy. Manipulating Practices is an e-book arising from the Critical Physiotherapy Network (https://criticalphysio.net/) and involving a collaboration of 20 international physical therapist authors. The book uncovers the growing body of critical investigation and thinking relevant to physical therapy. Topics include 21st century education, ethics, evidence-based practice, touch, and equine therapy and approaches such as disability studies, gender studies, logic, narrative theory, new materialism, and phenomenology’ (Jette, Delany and Lundberg 2019, p. 820).
Compiling books that purposefully push the profession to think ‘otherwise’ is always risky, but reading comments like this from people within the profession who understand the value of such work is immensely gratifying.
You can download the whole book - for free - or any individual chapters you want from here.
On that note, we now have our publishing contract with Routledge for the 2nd critical physiotherapy reader, titled Mobilising knowledge in physiotherapy. First drafts of the book will be submitted to the editors by the end of the year and we hope to have the book in print later in 2020. We’re going to try to ensure that it will be as challenging and thought provoking as the first.
Reference
Jette, A. M., Delany, C., & Lundberg, M. (2019). The value of qualitative research in physical therapy. Physical Therapy, 99(7), 819-20.