This case study presents the methodology and method for an exploratory study with eight young mothers regarding their pregnancy decision making. The study drew methodologically on feminist reflexivity and concepts of governmentality to attend to ways in which women’s sexuality is regulated through policy, clinical, and research practice, as well as framing how the young women speak of their own pregnancy decision making. The case study will critically consider issues relating to recruitment, sample size, the role of gatekeeper, children and consent, anonymity and confidentiality. The Listening Guide method will be described drawing on examples from the research. The four ‘reading’s within the Guide will be examined: firstly for ‘plot’ – eliciting the overall ‘story’ the participant wishes to tell before beginning the fragmentive process of data analysis. Then for reader response to the participant’s words, building in a feminist reflexivity to the method. The second reading is for the voice of I, and the third for relationships. The fourth reading looks wider to social structures and cultural contexts. This method highlighted how the young women interviewed offered stylized ‘good citizenship’ narratives as the participant may not feel free to fully voice their desires and opinions for fear of judgement. The readings highlighted quieter or less frequently mentioned narratives. Using the Listening Guide leads the researcher to see the wider influences on the young women’s lives, which included poverty, gang culture and pervasive violence. These fragile life circumstances had a significant bearing on the young women’s decisions to ‘get on with’ parenting in the teenage years.
Bekaert, Sarah
Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
Year of publication: 2020Date of RADAR deposit: 2019-12-04
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