Being person-centred in qualitative interviews: reflections on a process

Abstract

Background: In this article we reflect on the first author’s (Berit Margrethe BM) experience of conducting seven qualitative research interviews with public health nurses trained in parenting guidance by Interational Child Development Program (ICDP) at the University of South East Norway. The interviews focused on how the public health nurses use a particular set of competencies in their daily work at the health center. A person-centred practice framework was used to reflect on whether person-centred prerequisities and person-centred processes could be recognised in the completed interview processes, and how a greater focus on a person-centered approach could improve the quality of data collection. It is the results of this reflection that is presented in this paper. Aims: Understand how a researcher can use person-centred principles to facilitate qualitative interviews. Findings: Being reflexive is essential to a person-centred approach in qualitative research interviews. It is about the researcher's ability to facilitate an engagement that promotes authenticity, self- determination and reciprocity. Knowing oneself without letting conscious and unconscious values and perceptions overshadow the potential opportunities that arise in gaining an understanding of the informant's values and perceptions is essential. Through being vigilant in all senses, a holistic mutually respectful dialogue can be created, through which new knowledge and understandings are generated. Conclusion: Considering person-centredness in the planning and undertaking of research methods is important. Whilst there is an increasing evidence base about person-centredness in health and social care practice, there continues to be a dearth of publications that focus on person-centredness in research methods.