IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/epplan/v32y2009i1p13-20.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The dual role of the action researcher

Author

Listed:
  • Trondsen, Marianne
  • Sandaunet, Anne-Grete

Abstract

This article aims to provide more insight into advantages and challenges of conducting action research with the intention to improve health care. Action research is distinctive in the sense that the researcher has a dual role as both researcher and implementer of the program studied. The article is based on two Norwegian action-oriented studies that aimed to explore the potential role of online self-help groups for breast cancer patients and adolescents with mentally ill parents respectively. We argue that action research can contribute both to the generation of knowledge, as well as a greater sense of ownership to the program among those who are intended to use it. Nonetheless, a potential conflict between the researcher's pursuit of data, and ethical considerations became apparent in the contexts studied here. Bearing these challenges in mind, we still conclude that action research offers an important contribution for the further development of health care services.

Suggested Citation

  • Trondsen, Marianne & Sandaunet, Anne-Grete, 2009. "The dual role of the action researcher," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 13-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:32:y:2009:i:1:p:13-20
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149-7189(08)00079-7
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Olsen, Odd Einar & Lindoe, Preben, 2004. "Trailing research based evaluation; phases and roles," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 371-380, November.
    2. Oeye, Christine & Bjelland, Anne Karen & Skorpen, Aina, 2007. "Doing participant observation in a psychiatric hospital-- Research ethics resumed," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 2296-2306, December.
    3. Khanlou, N. & Peter, E., 2005. "Participatory action research: considerations for ethical review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(10), pages 2333-2340, May.
    4. Dyregrov, Kari, 2004. "Bereaved parents' experience of research participation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 391-400, January.
    5. W. Römisch & R. Schultz, 2006. "Preface," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 17-18, February.
    6. Gladstone, Brenda McConnell & Boydell, Katherine M. & McKeever, Patricia, 2006. "Recasting research into children's experiences of parental mental illness: Beyond risk and resilience," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(10), pages 2540-2550, May.
    7. Skinner, Harvey & Biscope, Sherry & Poland, Blake, 2003. "Quality of internet access: barrier behind internet use statistics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(5), pages 875-880, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Frank W.R. van Gool & Joyce J.P.A. Bierbooms & Inge M.B. Bongers & Richard T.J.M. Janssen, 2019. "Co‐creating a program for teams to maintain and reflect on their flexibility," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 1937-1947, October.
    2. Wagemakers, Annemarie & Vaandrager, Lenneke & Koelen, Maria A. & Saan, Hans & Leeuwis, Cees, 2010. "Community health promotion: A framework to facilitate and evaluate supportive social environments for health," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 428-435, November.
    3. Marleen H. Lovink & Frank Verbeek & Anke Persoon & Getty Huisman-de Waal & Marleen Smits & Miranda G. H. Laurant & Anneke J. van Vught, 2022. "Developing an Evidence-Based Nursing Culture in Nursing Homes: An Action Research Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Massey, Oliver T., 2011. "A proposed model for the analysis and interpretation of focus groups in evaluation research," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 21-28, February.
    5. Shaun Cardiff & Brendan McCormack & Tanya McCance, 2018. "Person‐centred leadership: A relational approach to leadership derived through action research," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(15-16), pages 3056-3069, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ahmad Y. Al‐Sagarat & Ayman M. Hamdan‐Mansour & Faris Al‐Sarayreh & Hani Nawafleh & Lorna Moxham, 2016. "Prevalence of aggressive behaviours among inpatients with psychiatric disorders: A case study analysis from Jordan," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), pages 172-179, June.
    2. Karl Andriessen & Karolina Krysinska & Debra Rickwood & Jane Pirkis, 2022. "The Reactions of Adolescents, Parents and Clinicians to Participating in Qualitative Research Interviews Regarding Adolescents Bereaved by Suicide and Other Traumatic Death," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, January.
    3. Hilde-Kristin Vegsund & Toril Rannestad & Trude Reinfjell & Unni Karin Moksnes & Alexandra Eilegård Wallin & Mary-Elizabeth Bradley Eilertsen, 2018. "Translation and Linguistic Validation of a Swedish Study-Specific Questionnaire for Use among Norwegian Parents Who Lost a Child to Cancer," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Kraemer Diaz, Anne E. & Spears Johnson, Chaya R. & Arcury, Thomas A., 2013. "Variation in the interpretation of scientific integrity in community-based participatory health research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 134-142.
    5. Chris Carter & Stewart Clegg & Martin Kornberger, 2010. "Re‐framing strategy: power, politics and accounting," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 23(5), pages 573-594, June.
    6. Sean G. Dicks & Ian J. Pieper & Holly L. Northam & Frank M. P. van Haren & Douglas P. Boer, 2020. "Why Did You Not Act on Our Suggestion? Regulatory and Growth-Oriented Opportunities During Ethical Review: A Case Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    7. Odendaal, Willem A. & Marais, Sandra & Munro, Salla & van Niekerk, Ashley, 2008. "When the trivial becomes meaningful: Reflections on a process evaluation of a home visitation programme in South Africa," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 209-216, May.
    8. Margareta Östman & Maria Afzelius, 2011. "Children’s Representatives in Psychiatric Services: What Is the Outcome?," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(2), pages 144-152, March.
    9. Allen, Dawn & Wainwright, Megan & Hutchinson, Thomas, 2011. "'Non-compliance' as illness management: Hemodialysis patients' descriptions of adversarial patient-clinician interactions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 129-134, July.
    10. Nugus, Peter & Greenfield, David & Travaglia, Joanne & Braithwaite, Jeffrey, 2012. "The politics of action research: “If you don't like the way things are going, get off the bus”," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(11), pages 1946-1953.
    11. Walter, Alexander I. & Helgenberger, Sebastian & Wiek, Arnim & Scholz, Roland W., 2007. "Measuring societal effects of transdisciplinary research projects: Design and application of an evaluation method," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 325-338, November.
    12. Myfanwy Maple & Sarah Wayland & Rebecca Sanford & Ailbhe Spillane & Sarah Coker, 2020. "Carers’ Motivations for, and Experiences of, Participating in Suicide Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Ruth Northway & Joyce Howarth & Lynne Evans, 2015. "Participatory research, people with intellectual disabilities and ethical approval: making reasonable adjustments to enable participation," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(3-4), pages 573-581, February.
    14. Rojalini Sahoo & Damodar Suar, 2009. "Do Young Carers Deserve Justice? Young Caring in the Context of Illness," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 21(1), pages 133-150, January.
    15. Caxaj, C. Susana & Berman, Helene & Varcoe, Colleen & Ray, Susan L. & Restoulec, Jean-Paul, 2014. "Gold mining on Mayan-Mam territory: Social unravelling, discord and distress in the Western highlands of Guatemala," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 50-57.
    16. Virginia Mapedzahama & Tinashe Dune, 2017. "A Clash of Paradigms? Ethnography and Ethics Approval," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(1), pages 21582440176, March.
    17. Lilly Joschko & Anna María Pálsdóttir & Patrik Grahn & Maximilian Hinse, 2023. "Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-24, January.
    18. Grove, Christine & Riebschleger, Joanne & Bosch, Annick & Cavanaugh, Daniel & van der Ende, Peter C., 2017. "Expert views of children's knowledge needs regarding parental mental illness," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 249-255.
    19. Lena Axelsson & Birgitta Klang & Carina Lundh Hagelin & Stefan H Jacobson & Sissel Andreassen Gleissman, 2015. "Meanings of being a close relative of a family member treated with haemodialysis approaching end of life," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(3-4), pages 447-456, February.
    20. Vikkram Singh & Joshua Chobotaru, 2022. "Digital Divide: Barriers to Accessing Online Government Services in Canada," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-12, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:32:y:2009:i:1:p:13-20. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/evalprogplan .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.