Breaching the wall: interviewing people from other cultures

Area of Science:

• Qualitative Research Methods
• Nursing Research
• Cross-Cultural Communication

Background:

• Interviews are a common data collection tool in qualitative research.
• Research interviewing, particularly cross-cultural interviewing, requires specialized skills beyond practice-based interviewing.
• Nurse researchers increasingly encounter participants from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss strategies for enhancing the in-depth interview process in qualitative nursing research.
• To address challenges specific to interviewing individuals from different cultures.
• To provide practical techniques and highlight potential pitfalls in cross-cultural research interviewing.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of specific techniques for effective in-depth interviewing.
• Identification of factors influencing the interview process (researcher, participant, context).
• Illustrative example of research conducted with participants from Malaysian Borneo.

Main Results:

• Strategies are presented to improve the effectiveness of in-depth interviews with diverse populations.
• Potential pitfalls in cross-cultural research interviewing are identified.
• Techniques for enhancing the interview process are discussed.

Conclusions:

• Effective in-depth interviewing in qualitative nursing research necessitates specific skills, especially in cross-cultural contexts.
• Awareness of researcher, participant, and contextual factors is crucial for successful interviews.
• Implementing targeted strategies can improve data quality when working with diverse ethnic groups.