Sick and Tired: Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in ...
Sick and Tired: Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in ...
Sick and Tired: Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in ...
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transcripts, with any <strong>in</strong>consistencies or revisions to the emerg<strong>in</strong>g themes noted <strong>in</strong> the<br />
left h<strong>and</strong> marg<strong>in</strong>. This approach helped to ref<strong>in</strong>e the emerg<strong>in</strong>g themes upon completion<br />
of the transcript analysis. The emerg<strong>in</strong>g themes were discussed between the two<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent researchers. Although participants talked about a wide range of issues<br />
related to liv<strong>in</strong>g with FMS, as the aim of the study was to explore the experience of<br />
sleep <strong>in</strong> FMS, the analysis focused primarily on the data focus<strong>in</strong>g on sleep related issues<br />
<strong>and</strong> the additional <strong>in</strong>formation was used to provide a context <strong>and</strong> greater underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
of the sleep related data.<br />
Themes were clustered together <strong>and</strong> reapplied to the <strong>in</strong>terview transcripts, not<strong>in</strong>g any<br />
<strong>in</strong>consistencies between participants <strong>and</strong> explor<strong>in</strong>g negative cases to form themes<br />
(Mays & Pope, 2000). Although this technique emerged from other qualitative<br />
approaches, as the aim of this study was to explore <strong>in</strong>terpretations <strong>and</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>gs for<br />
participants, it was felt to be equally applicable to this IPA study. Extracts from the<br />
<strong>in</strong>terview transcripts were then related to each theme manually. This was completed by<br />
writ<strong>in</strong>g each theme on a piece of paper <strong>and</strong> then plac<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>terview extracts (labelled<br />
by participant number <strong>and</strong> page number) that related to each theme underneath the<br />
respective head<strong>in</strong>g. This process ensued that the <strong>in</strong>terpretations were l<strong>in</strong>ked to the raw<br />
data. Each extract could be used to demonstrate more than one theme if relevant,<br />
although this process often highlighted that two themes could be clustered together. The<br />
themes were then ref<strong>in</strong>ed to ensure the name of the theme reflected the relevant extracts<br />
<strong>and</strong> their <strong>in</strong>terpreted mean<strong>in</strong>g. Each theme was then exam<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> detail to explore if it<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded different components.<br />
The participant sample was described <strong>in</strong> terms of mean age, duration of symptoms <strong>and</strong><br />
percentage of participants <strong>in</strong> employment <strong>and</strong> those tak<strong>in</strong>g hypnotic <strong>and</strong>/or pa<strong>in</strong><br />
reliev<strong>in</strong>g medication, so that the <strong>in</strong>terpretations could be related to the sample from<br />
which they were taken. Direct quotations from participants were used to illustrate each<br />
theme <strong>and</strong> each quote was identified us<strong>in</strong>g the study participant number to ensure<br />
confidentiality. Information on the participant‟s age <strong>and</strong> gender is provided for context.<br />
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