Mixed Methods Research in Occupational Therapy: A Survey and Critique

Abstract

Mixed qualitative and quantitative studies are becoming popular in social sciences research and are recognized as legitimate project designs. However, diverse definitions and applications are common and little consensus exists about exactly what constitutes a mixed methods approach. In this article, the authors provide an overview of various approaches to mixed methods and present the findings derived from a survey of mixed methods research published between 2000 and 2005 in nine occupational therapy journals. The results from this survey indicate that, although the use of mixed methods is relatively common (14% of all research articles published), there are several methodological issues to be considered. These include the subordinate positioning of qualitative findings and lack of justification for using mixed methods. Recommendations are offered to conceptually advance future applications and guide occupational therapy researchers considering the use of mixed methods.