Holly - there is no reason why either thematic and/or content analysis (they are not the same thing - whereas your question hints that you think that they might be) would not work with this software. I would, however, usually recommend NVivo above these as more functional with more options. The number of participants has no bearing on how the software works. 

Now I am confused - you refer to experimental design alongside control. That is purely a form of quantitative methodology - and thematic or content analysis does not apply to such approaches - so the 'configuration' is not possible. You need to refer to the qualitative literature to inform you on both approaches. Perhaps the attached chapter might assist. 

Dear Holly,

I dare to say the Content Analysis will work with any software you use. The point is Atlas Ti or Nvivo software (or MaxQDA or whatever) are more complete and used software programas for Content Analysis. Why don't you try with other programs (or any other)?

The groups (you mean focus groups?) can also be analyzed the same way.

Good luck!

Hello Igor & Dean,

Thank you both for taking the time to reply. Dean, the chapter you've included is really helpful! Yes, you noticed rightly that there is an experimental design to the research. That's because I'm using a mixed methodology. I know, with 9 subjects there will be no statistical validation. But I am including this approach as well because I do want to know, even with this small sample size, if the interventions seem to lower depression and increase subjective well being with the xp groups. It's for a Master's in clinical psychology and they won't penalize me for this. However, this master's thesis is crucial to obtaining my diploma...

Both interventions are along the lines of reminiscence. In one the participants reflect on good memories throughout their lives and in another they explore difficult situations and identify the positive personal resources/qualities  that helped them overcome them (courage, humour, social support, etc.). This last intervention was very problematic because not surprisingly, depressed people have difficulties identifying their personal strengths and also because despite really emphasizing that we would focus on their positive strengths, delving into past difficulties was not easy for them. Some avoided it and chose to talk about this, that and the other instead, mainly about how awful conditions were in their nursing home. Although this was frustrating for me, I still feel their data has some significant information.

Thus I have these 3 groups of a series of 3 interviews for each participant and the focus on the interviews and the data produced are all very varied. So my question is, can a software such as Nvivo process this type of data and come out with some relevant information ? (Also, because I'm a student & not working is Nvivo free on the web?) I am thinking the approach should be more along the lines of the thematic interpretive process. What do you think of this idea ?

Thanks in advance !

Holly

Hi Holly,

Many thanks for the update on your study.

Whatever you put into most qualitative software i.e. Naive, Atlas etc - it will convert to codes, categories and themes. However, it can be very labour intensive inputting the data in the first place for this function. Some argue that it is more effective and efficient to manually transcribe your data verbatim - as you need to be more 'immersed' in the data - which would be especially useful seeing as their are certain 'nuances' to your data that you highlight.

Naive is not free - but many institutions will subscribe or have a license that allows students access or upload.

I'm not sure if that helps,

Dean

Hi Dean,

Thanks again for your reply. I am in a French university where ressources are scarce so I doubt I'll have access to any software. It appears that I'll be doing the coding on my own.

As I said before the chapter you sent was very helpful. The process of "Free form" coding looks like it will work in my case. I know I am asking for more, but would it be possible to attach chapter 6 from the same book that apparently talks more in-depth about the procedures for doing free form coding ? Thanks very much in advance. I really think this could be the solution to all my problems !

Best regards,

Holly

I wouldn't just stick to computer programs (albeit Atlas.ti and MaxQDA are recommendable). A method is more than just some program. I would recommend a look on Philipp Mayring (here a nice intro: http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1089/2386).

Thanks very much Philipp ! I will definitely take a look at the article. ResearchGate and the good souls who take the time to help are really a godsend. Lord knows I'm not getting much help from my university so any help is much appreciated.

regards

Holly

Hi Holly - I've just noticed on my last post that RG has converted NVivo to 'naive' a couple of times. I hope that it doesn't do it this time. 

Yes - free-form is a useful approach in the right context. 

Chapter 6 is attached here - but it isn't really about qualitative data analysis - it's titled 'common qualitative approaches'.

Milles mercis Dean ! I think I have what I need to get back on track with analysing my data.

Very best...

H. Rougier

It sounds like you have a total of 27 interviews (3 each from 9 people), which is a lot to do "by hand." I know that Alceste and Leximancer are more popular in France, compared to the other programs that have been mentioned, so I wonder if you do have access to them?

Hi David,

No kidding it's a lot to do by hand! As it is just typing up the transcriptions is an ordeal. The most frustrating part is that I've never done any kind of qualitative data analysis using software (or by hand it must be said) and my research director initially told me it could be done with the software with my project design. Working in France I have only heard of Alceste and Tropes (not Leximancer or N'Vivo).

This is the conundrum : it's not 27 interviews or 22 hrs, because that has to be divided by 3 as each intervention is different even though all 3 are measuring effects on depression and changes to subjective well being. So to be a little more precise with my question, can these software pull out significant datafor each of the 3 interventions I talked about with only 3 subjects ?

Honestly, I am wondering if I'm going to make it on time if I have to learn how to do the coding and then do it by myself without the software...

Thanks for your reply David

Holly

Whether you do your analysis by hand or with software, the process consists of two basic steps. The first is to develop and apply codes that you use to "mark" the data. The second is to search the data for patterns and "retrieve" relevant segments of data. In general the process of coding is about the same whether you use software or not, but having a computerized version of your codes can be very useful for the searching and retrieving part of the analysis process.

If you have limited financial resources, one less expensive solutions to use Dedoose, which is a web-based program where you pay by the hour for using it, rather than buying a complete package, like with NVivo, ATLAS, or MAX.

Another inexpensive approach is to use Microsoft Word for your analysis, and I have attached some references in that regard.

Hi David,

Thanks very much for these suggestions. I don't have Microsoft Word & am using Open Office. I will check out the Dedoose option and see if it can work in French. But if it can't, maybe there will be other short-term purchase options for software analysis that can work in French. I'm not certain about this because in general we are behind on these kinds of options.

Thanks again sincerely for your help;).

Holly