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A Decade of Qualitative Research in Sport Psychology Journals: 1990-1999 Culver, D. M., Gilbert, W. D., Trudel, P. (2003). The Sport Psychologist, 17, 1-15.

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to portray the qualitative articles published in three sport psychology journals and to examine how qualitative research can deepen our knowledge in applied sport psychology. All studies that used a qualitative data collection technique were classified as qualitative research. Eighty-four of the 485 data-based articles were qualitative. The number of qualitative articles published increased only slightly over the decade. The interview was used in 67 of the studies. Peer review was a common strategy for establishing trustworthiness and nearly half of the studies used a reliability test. Member checking was mostly limited to participant verification of interview transcripts. Results were usually presented using a combination of words and numbers (48/84). The contribution of selected studies to our knowledge of applied sport psychology research and practice is discussed. When the type of qualitative research being published in the three journals is located within the wider possibilities of qualitative inquiry, it is suggested that sport psychology researchers have been conservative in their efforts to include the qualitative approach as a legitimate way to do research. This portrayal contributes to the on-going dialogue on qualitative research issues in sport and exercise psychology.