DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

5.
Generic Method and Study 1 Specifics
5.1 Introduction
Having described the sources and components of the composite methodology
in the previous chapter, I now set out how the method was applied to this thesis. As
stated in Chapter 2, three research questions provided the focus for the research:
4. What does early adult crisis involve as an experience?
5. Is there a common process underlying differing manifestations of early adult crisis?
If so, what?
6. Do early adult crises have a formative role in development of the self? If so, why?
While these research questions remained constant and stable, the design of the
empirical studies constantly evolved. Three empirical studies were conducted in total,
the second and third of which were designed after completion of the preceding study,
in order to focus on the most pressing and interesting findings from that prior study
while addressing any limitations. The first half of this chapter presents those aspects
of the method that were constant across all empirical work, and the second half
presents methodological points that were specific to just the first empirical study, the
findings of which are presented in the next chapter.
Generic Method
5.2 Ethical Concerns
Ethical concerns were taken into account at all stages of the research process,
to protect and respect the needs of participants and researcher. The project received
departmental ethical approval prior to commencement of data collection. The research
was aligned with the British Psychological Society Code of Conduct (March 2006
version) and took into account the following points:
1. Confidentiality was rigorously maintained; name and place identities on transcripts
were changed and details of the respondent were kept in a confidential, locked
location (article 1.2 in BPS Code of Conduct).
2. The participant was given an information sheet that communicated the nature and
purpose of the research prior to acceptance of participation (article 1.3 in BPS Code
of Conduct) (see Appendix B).
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