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Methodological challenges in cross-language qualitative research: a research review
1Center for Health Outcomes & Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. asq@nursing.upenn.edu
International Journal of Nursing Studies
|September 16, 2008
Summary
Most cross-language qualitative studies fail to adequately manage translators or interpreters, compromising trustworthy results. Developing and applying clear methodological criteria is crucial for improving cross-language research quality.
Area of Science:
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Health Sciences Research
- Cross-Cultural Studies
Background:
- Cross-language qualitative research involves navigating language barriers between researchers and participants, often with the aid of translators or interpreters.
- Effective management of translators and interpreters is critical for ensuring the validity and reliability of cross-language qualitative research findings.
- Existing literature lacks comprehensive criteria for evaluating the methodological rigor of managing language barriers in qualitative studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing methods literature on cross-language qualitative research.
- To synthesize recommendations into a set of criteria for evaluating the management of translators and interpreters.
- To test the developed criteria on published cross-language qualitative studies.
Main Methods:
- A purposive sample of 40 cross-language qualitative studies from nursing and health sciences journals was selected.
- A synthesis of the methods literature yielded 14 criteria for managing language barriers.
- Summative content analysis, using discourse analysis techniques, was employed to evaluate the selected studies against these criteria.
Main Results:
- Only 6 out of 40 studies (15%) met all the established criteria for trustworthy cross-language qualitative research.
- Significant methodological inconsistencies were identified in the remaining 33 studies.
- Common issues included the invisibility of translators/interpreters, lack of piloting, undefined credentials, failure to acknowledge translation limitations, and inappropriate frameworks.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights a critical need for systematic attention to methodological issues in cross-language research.
- The developed criteria can serve as valuable guidelines for evaluating existing research and for novice researchers.
- Researchers must address the role of translators and interpreters more explicitly to enhance the quality and trustworthiness of cross-language qualitative studies.
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