Blank......

In Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin, at the section of Axial Coding, it was stressed that " If one studies structure only, then one learns why but not how certain events occur. If one studies process only, then one understands how persons act/interact but not why.

Therefore, one must study both structure and process to capture the dynamic and evolving nature of events.

I find myself had started to reject what comes across my mind, after some extensive research or working on the materials of how to do a "qualitative study"? My mind went "blank". The phrases became "empty" to me.

Perhaps this is because I was trying to digest the teaching materials in the book that stuffs with ideas that I couldn't really comprehend. I can only do this much. I really don't understand what and how to code the data? I need a supervisor on this! I need a teacher to teach me and guide me on my way! How could I possible complete my own research without proper exercise?

Reassembling the data is almost frustrating to me!I don't know a single thing in this, I don't even know how to do it!

HELP!

What should I do?

It seems like the qualitative data could even consist of interviews and observations, and documents, films or videotapes, and even data that have been quantified for other purposes such as census data.

The purpose is to discovering concepts and relationships in raw data and then organizing these into a theoretical explanatory scheme. But how? How to do these?

Qualitative Basic Consideration

The importance of setting out a research on Hikikomori, or Suicide or Church Ministry in Japan would be the VISION. Where it is that the researcher wants to go with the researach. How are we going to see beyond the ordinary and to arrive at new understandings.

In the case of Hikikomori, do I aim to build theory, or classifying and eleborating? How should I build my case?

In Qualitative Research, Strauss and Glaser had made tremendous contribution in developing its concept and methodology.

For Strauss, the motivations are listed below:
(a) the need to get out into the field to discover what is really going on;
(b) the releveance of theory, grounded in data, to the development of a discipline and as a basis for social action;
(c) the complexity and variability of phenomena and of human actio;
(d) the belief that persons are actors who take an active role in responding to problematic situations;
(e) the realization that persons act on the basis of meaning;
(f) the understanding that meaning is defined and redefined through interaction;
(g) a sensitivity to the evolving and unfolding nature of events;
(h) an awareness of the interrelationships among conditions, action, and consequences.

Glaser saw the need for making comparison between data to identify, develop, and relate concepts.

A qualitative research could be extend to:
a person's lives, lived experiences, behaviors, emotions, and feelings as well as about organizaitonal functioning, social movements, cultural phenomena, and interactions between nations.

And now, as for Hikikomori, what is it about? It is about behaviors, emotions, feelings at individual level, in relation to organizational functioning when it is about Ijime, cultural phenomena. And in this study of mine, would probably involve interactions between nations.

How do we go about? This needs to be carefully examine and structure before I start the research.

Characteristics of a Grounded Theorist

These are the requisite skills for becoming a grounded theorist:

1. The ability to step back and critically analyze situations.
2. The ability to recognize the tendency towards bias.
3. The ability to think abstractly.
4. The ability to be fleible and open to helpful criticism.
5. Sensitivity to the words and actions of respondents.
6. A sense of absorption and devotion to the work process.

Let's pray that the Lord will preserve me in these ways! May the Lord bless the job in His hand!


Reference: Basics of Qualitative Research. 2nd. Ed. Strauss&Corbin. Basic Considerations, Introduction

Grounded Theory

What does it mean by Grounded theory? Checklist of understanding.

1. It is developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967).
2. It is to address issues raised within sociology about the understanding of human behavior (Hikikomori) based on the quantitative paradigm and statistically average behavior.
3. The theorical base is symbolic interactionism.
4. Meaning: human behavior (Hikikomori) is develped through interaction with others, through continuous processes of negotiation and renegotiation.
5. People construct their own realities from the symbols around them through interaction rather than through a static reaction to symbols.
6. Therefore, individuals are active participants in creating meaning in a situation (isolating oneself).
7. The primary purpose is to generate explanatory theories of human behavior (hikikomori).
8. Theory is discovered, developed, and then verified through systematic data collection and analysis of data related to an identified phenomenon (isolation of teens).
9. Data collection, sampling, and analysis all occur simultaneously as the study progresses, and sampling and further data collection are based on the emerging theory.
10. Participants are selected based on their knowledge of the topic(hikikomori) and on the needs of the developing theory, a process called theoretical sampling.
11. Data are generally collected through unstructured interviews, observations, and other fieldwork techniques.
12. Analysis techniques include constant comparison in which all pieces of data are compared with other data(stories/incidents).
13. Process oriented and allows for change over time, describing stages and phases inherent in a particular experience.


Re: Qualitative Research Methods for Health Professionals, Second Edition. Authors: Janice M. Morse, Peggy Anne Field. Chapman & Hall, 1995.

Qualitative Research

If I want to do a study on Hikikomori, it will be very much as a qualitative research at the moment. The issue is too new, too naive, and too little research or reports had been done. Even if there is any, it is commonly contain only one voice, and heavily influenced by the authors perspective and background.

Hikikomori is a phenomenon of youth that isolated themselves for more than six months. Now, issues aroused with this phenomenon: First, is this a typical Japanese phenomenon? Second, is this only a problem of youth? Third, is there any other definitions for Hikikomori? Forth, are there any stages towards Hikikomori? Fifth, how do we identify one Hikikomori? Sixth, what are the symptoms, what are they doing? Seventh, what is the background to it? Eighth, what is/are the trigger factor/factors? Ninth, what is the impact to the society? Tenth, what are these people experiencing is it what others in the society experiencing as well?

When we count and think carefully about this questions, we can go on for more and more. Exploring is the key!

In qualitative research, there are certain things that we need to look at. First, the developed theory may serve several important functions within a discipline. Question now is which discipline is directly involved or concern with this issue? Psychiatric? Social Workers? Clinical Psychologist? Schools? Somehow, I think church needs to get into this! If what the report had been true in Japan, one percent of the population were shutting themselves up in a room, that is a tremendous figure! One million, at least. It is ridiculous if the church is just going to sit there, and do nothing of it!

In Hong Kong, a similar report had made a projection of Hikikomori in Hong Kong increased from 6,000 to 18,000 within six months. We need to be very careful in this area. Same questions needed to be ask, and validity of the claim needed to be carefully examined. Isolation as a total social withdrawal demonstrated a "sick" society, it might not be the person who is doing this is sick, but it could be a action of complaining through living as a hermit.

"What is happening here?" is a question.

The findings should open a window into the worlds of others, providing empathic understanding of the world. The theory thus enables the readers to make sense of otherwise incomprehensible situations and behaviors. How groups of people live? how people cope with their daily lives?

The theory should be used in quantitative research later, as a conceptual framework, a provide explanation for other unexpected quantitative results.


Reference: Qualitative Research Methods for Health Professionals, Second Edition. Janice M. Morse, Peggy Anne Field. Chapman & Hall, 1995.

Plans for Project/Dissertation

Topic Concentration:

1. School Violence - Hikikomori - Internet Suicide
( A projection of the mortality rate/ health pattern of teenagers in Hong Kong in 10 years later, taking Japan as an example. )

Things to do:
(i)  Obtain data of reported school violence in both Japan and Hong Kong.
(ii) Obtain reports of confirmed or suspected Hikikomori in both Japan and Hong Kong.
(iii) Obtain the Internet suicide figures and plot a trend of recent years in both Japan and Hong Kong.
(iv) Compare the incidents and the factors behind of Hikikomori. Identify the age, economical status, social status and gender.

2. The Aging Society - Public Health Measurements In Corporation of Different Workforce.
( Hong Kong is an rapidly aging society next to Japan in the same region. In fact, the birth rates had dropped rapidly recent years, and the aging population had aroused to an alarming level. Is Hong Kong prepared for this aging population? Had the public health measure been taken to deal with this situation? Is the Hong Kong SARS local government ready for the consequences that Hong Kong is facing in next 20 years? Japan had been long exposed to this risk. Is Japan doing enough then, to improve the public health of the elderly, or to reduce the extra burdens that the public and the government is currently facing. What are the impacts of aging to the society?)


Things to do:
(i) Obtain data of the life expectancy and population of the elderly in both Japan and Hong Kong.
(ii) Analyse the GDP of both countries,  the past 50 years, 25 years, and this year 2006, and also the estimation in next 5 years to 10 years.
(iii) Compare both countries in terms of economic growth, as well as productivity.
(iv) Analyse the policies which had been implemented or in the proposal of both countries. Are there any solutions? If yes, what are they? And how they work?
(v) Compare measurements, plans and actions.
(vi) Analyse the impact of aging in the society of both countries.
(vii) Set a projection for Hong Kong in the next 20 years. Would what the government or public health sectors will be doing going to achieve the goal, taking the experience of Japan as an example? If not, what would be the suggestions?