2.1 –
You need to outline that you will be using a qualitative design and the rationale for this as opposed to quantitative. You can then move onto the rationale for IPA, though this is directly addressed in section 2.7
As per my previous feedback, bring in some information about your data collection method and the rationale for this.
You do not need to bring in existing literature here. If you do, you must provide references. By bringing in the literature without providing references, your writing reads as assumptive. This section should draw upon the introduction section which precedes it.
The focus of this section is to convince the reader that you will address the research question.
2.2 – The rationale for choosing 6 participants needs to be developed. I’m unsure what you mean by 6 will mean the participants will be ‘highly eligible’? It’s important to bring in some information (with a reference provided) about how many participants is appropriate for an IPA study at Masters Level.
How will you enquire whether parents have a formal mental health diagnosis?
You appear to have taken the ‘active role’ element out. I wondered why? What might the implications of this be? Have you considered homogeneity in terms of how much time the parent spends with the child, if the parent is a single parent or not?
Recruitment Advertisement: Again, I think this perhaps needs some rewording. You write that the study is being conducted in order to ‘ascertain the nature and degree of parenting challenges’. Based on my understanding, this is not the purpose of your study? It is also not compatible with IPA, as there is an assumption here that it is a challenge. It should be clear that the aim of the study is to gain insight into what this lived experience is like, without any prior assumptions.
I think it would be useful to say that if anybody is interested in taking part or would like further information, they can email you.
My suggestion would be not to put your personal phone number on social media sites, particularly as you say you will be using a public Twitter account.
I think you need to make it clear that you will not be recruiting anybody you personally know.
I think it is important to briefly mention something about confidentiality and right to withdraw in the advertisement.
2.3 – You write that data collection will take place within 2 weeks? You are not able to know this at this stage and my suggestion would be that this is unlikely. You have 6 participants to recruit and interview, I think it may be unlikely to assume all of this will happen in 2 weeks, unless I have misunderstood what you mean?
The information about confidentiality and anonymity are a little unclear and are also not required in this section.
2.4 – What do you mean by a ‘research database panel’?
Here you write that the interview will take approximately 60-90 minutes. Earlier in the form you write that interviews will take approximately 60 minutes. This needs to be clear and consistent throughout.
2.5 – You have written my name as the investigator rather than supervisor.
What do you mean by participants will be updated on the study’s findings? At the debrief stage, there will not be any findings yet?
As per my previous feedback, I think you need to include more information which clearly explains how you are going to protect participant confidentiality. You need to outline that participants can withdraw at any time without any prejudice to them, how exactly they can withdraw and that they do not need to provide any explanation as to why they wish to, if they do.
In the study participant’s statement section, in the first statement – I think what you mean is that participants can refuse to any answer question if they wish to, but it might read as though participants are consenting to answer every question. I think this first statement should be broken up in to two elements – the right to withdraw and the right to refuse to answer any questions participants do not wish to answer.
Interview schedule: Be mindful of your language. It’s really important not to be assumptive. E.g. rather than ‘how has your life changed since then’? It may be better to ask ‘has your life changed since then?’ Rather than ‘What are the most challenging difficulties you are encountering’ perhaps it would be better to ask ‘are there challenging difficulties?’ ‘If so, could you tell me a little bit about these challenges?’
Let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss this feedback further.