A Critical Methodological Review of Mixed Methods Designs Used in Mindfulness Research

Abstract

There is growing recognition of the importance and value of integrating quantitative and qualitative research in the same study to provide a better understanding of a research question, to capture the complexity of an experience, and for generating more questions of interest for future studies. As the interest in adopting a mixed methods approach in mindfulness research continues to grow, details can be lacking in terms of how a study was conducted and the procedures used to analyze and interpret the data. In an attempt to understand the pattern of how mixed methods research was used in mindfulness research, we conducted a critical methodological review using content analysis. Specifically, mixed methods articles related to mindfulness research were evaluated in terms of how the articles included key components of mixed methods research designs. From our sample (N = 35), none of the articles included all of the recommended components (explicitly state the mixed methods design, the mixed methods research question(s), the rationale for mixed methods, the priority of the strands, and cite mixed methods literature) in a published mixed methods research study. Findings reveal the growing acceptance of mixed methods studies in mindfulness research and the need for more rigor when using mixed methods designs. Researchers are encouraged to clearly outline the reasons for their design and their research questions. This article provides recommendations and can serve as a reference for mindfulness research using mixed methods designs.