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Sick and Tired: Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in ...

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Rigour<br />

The <strong>in</strong>terview transcripts were transcribed by the researcher conduct<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>terview to<br />

ensure that the context of the <strong>in</strong>terview was reflected <strong>and</strong> to <strong>in</strong>tegrate field notes <strong>and</strong><br />

observations <strong>in</strong>to the transcripts. For example, describ<strong>in</strong>g the nature of any <strong>in</strong>terruptions<br />

or not<strong>in</strong>g changes <strong>in</strong> participants behaviour (such as becom<strong>in</strong>g tearful) <strong>in</strong> brackets<br />

with<strong>in</strong> the transcript (Smith & Osborn, 2008). The text of the <strong>in</strong>terview with<strong>in</strong> the<br />

transcript was checked aga<strong>in</strong>st the audio record<strong>in</strong>g to ensure accuracy of the<br />

transcription (Dean, Smith, & Payne, 2006).<br />

The <strong>in</strong>dependent analysis supported the verification of the identified themes, as there<br />

was high consistency between the two researchers; any <strong>in</strong>consistencies that became<br />

evident were discussed <strong>and</strong> the themes ref<strong>in</strong>ed to reflect the consensus decision. Us<strong>in</strong>g<br />

extracts direct from the participant transcripts ensured that the <strong>in</strong>terpretations <strong>and</strong><br />

themes reflected the raw data (Smith & Osborn, 2008). If there was not a good fit<br />

between the extracts <strong>and</strong> the name of the themes, then the name of the theme was<br />

further ref<strong>in</strong>ed to reflect the raw data. The two researchers discussed which extracts<br />

were then most representative of each theme <strong>and</strong> its components to be used <strong>in</strong> the<br />

writ<strong>in</strong>g up the results.<br />

Results<br />

A sample of 16 participants took part <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>terviews (14 females <strong>and</strong> 2 males), which<br />

lasted between 20 <strong>and</strong> 65 m<strong>in</strong>utes, with the average duration of the <strong>in</strong>terviews be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

40.37 (SD 13.54) m<strong>in</strong>utes. Participants were aged between 21 <strong>and</strong> 61 years (mean age =<br />

50.95 years, SD 11.94) <strong>and</strong> all spoke English as their first language. All participants had<br />

completed secondary education, with 31.25% of them attend<strong>in</strong>g college or university.<br />

Only one participant was <strong>in</strong> full time employment, five were work<strong>in</strong>g part-time, five<br />

were retired <strong>and</strong> five were no longer work<strong>in</strong>g due to ill-health. The mean duration of<br />

FMS symptoms was 17.25 years (SD 14.77) with an average length of time s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />

diagnosis of 4.13 years (SD 4.37). Most participants were us<strong>in</strong>g some form of pa<strong>in</strong><br />

reliev<strong>in</strong>g medication on a regular basis (62.5%) <strong>and</strong> just over half of participants were<br />

prescribed medication to aid sleep (56.3%). The age <strong>and</strong> gender sample characteristics<br />

114

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