GROUNDED THEORY: USE IN SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN BRAZILIAN NURSING JOURNALS WITH QUALIS A CLASSIFICATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the use of Grounded Theory as a methodological framework in scientific articles published in Brazilian Nursing journals with Qualis Capes A1 and A2. Method: descriptive, documentary study with a quantitative approach. Five Brazilian nursing journals with Qualis A1 and A2 in the 2016 assessment were used as sources. Data were collected on the website of each journal through the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), by consulting the numbers published in the 2013-2016 quadrennium. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 49 articles were selected, most of them published by the Texto & Contexto Enfermagem journal (34.6%). Regarding the methodological aspect, the use of the Straussian perspective predominated (79,6). Regarding the methodological characteristics, most articles used theoretical sampling (63.3%), theoretical saturation (53.1%), comparative analysis (69.4%), and presented the development of a theoretical model or central category in the results (75.6%). However, only seven (14.3%) studies specified the use of memos, 22 (44.9%) mentioned the use of diagrams and 16 (32.7%) described the theory validation step. Conclusion: the need for consensus among Brazilian nursing researchers on the methodological characteristics to be described in studies using the Grounded Theory is highlighted.