Tobacco Use in Intimate Spaces: Issues in the Study of Couple Dynamics

Few guidelines exist for using qualitative research to examine couple dynamics in contexts complicated by strong social stigmas and wide-ranging patterns of interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this article is to describe the methodological and ethical issues that arose in an ongoing qualitat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative health research 2005-04, Vol.15 (4), p.564-577
Main Authors: Bottorff, Joan L., Kalaw, Cecilia, Johnson, Joy L., Stewart, Miriam, Greaves, Lorraine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Couples
Data Collection
Ethics
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Pregnancy
Qualitative Research
Research methodology
Sexual Partners
Tobacco
Tobacco Smoke Pollution
Tobacco Use Cessation
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Summary:Few guidelines exist for using qualitative research to examine couple dynamics in contexts complicated by strong social stigmas and wide-ranging patterns of interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this article is to describe the methodological and ethical issues that arose in an ongoing qualitative study focused on tobacco reduction in the context of couple relationships, and the strategies undertaken to deal with these challenges. The authors discuss their experiences with the following: recruitment in the context of social stigma and the potential for intracouple coercion, data collection and the implications of uncovering intimate dimensions of couples’ lives, the impact of the research process on mothers’ vulnerability, and the challenges of capturing shared, “dyad” experiences. These issues point to unique challenges in conducting qualitative research with couples and families and provide a useful base for similar studies.
ISSN:1049-7323
1552-7557
DOI:10.1177/1049732304269675