School Psychology as a Relational Enterprise: the Role and Process of Qualitative Methodology

The purpose of this article is to explore the application of qualitative research to establishing a more complete understanding of relational processes inherent in school psychology practice. We identify the building blocks of rigorous qualitative research design through a conceptual overview of qualitative paradigms, methodologies, methods (i.e., for data collection, analysis, and interpretation), and for the integrity standard of trustworthiness. This review may then serve as a resource for those interested in conducting qualitative or mixed methods research. Practical illustrations each of essential features of qualitative research were garnered from four studies on school-based consultation included in a recent qualitative metasynthesis (a meta-analytic process applied to qualitative findings). Together with these examples, we offer direct consideration of the relevance of qualitative methods to the future study of relational processes in school psychology practice.