EDITORIAL published: 09 December 2020 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590131 Editorial: Best Practice Approaches for Mixed Methods Research in Psychological Science M. Teresa Anguera 1*, Angel Blanco-Villaseñor 2† , Gudberg K. Jonsson 3 , José Luis Losada 2 and Mariona Portell 4 1 Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 2 Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 3 Human Behavior Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland, 4 Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain Keywords: QUAL-QUAN integration, symmetry, quantitizing, qualitizing, record transformation, mixed methods Editorial on the Research Topic Best Practice Approaches for Mixed Methods Research in Psychological Science Edited by: Pietro Cipresso, Istituto Auxologico Italiano INTRODUCTION (IRCCS), Italy Mixed methods research burst onto the scene around the beginning of the second millennium. Reviewed by: After decades of intense dispute between those who preferred the qualitative perspective and their Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, quantitative counterparts—with both sides having grown deeply entrenched in their respective University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE), Portugal views—a complementary approach promising the possibility of integration had finally been Giulio Costantini, proposed. By that time, however, the vast majority of researchers had committed to one stance University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy or the other; very few of us argued that the two approaches could be complementary. *Correspondence: Since then, the number of publications, scientific meetings and other activities devoted to the M. Teresa Anguera mixed methods approach has increased exponentially throughout the world. For us, there are mtanguera@gmail.com two definitions specially relevant. Teddie and Tashakkori (2010) defined mixed methods research as “research design using qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques in † Ourheartfelt and emotional memory either parallel or sequential phases” (p. 11). And Johnson et al. (2007) say that “Mixed methods to Angel, co-author of this Editorial, who died prematurely during the research is the type of research in which a researcher or team of researchers combines elements development of this Research Topic of qualitative and quantitative research approaches (e.g., use of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis, inference techniques) for the broad purposes of breadth and Specialty section: depth of understanding and corroboration” (p. 123). Moreover, Johnson et al. (2007) have listed This article was submitted to and analyzed 19 definitions of mixed methods, and the authors that have worked on this topic as Quantitative Psychology and a part of a big community. The expansion of mixed methods in the scientific community has been Measurement, expanding rapidly. a section of the journal At a substantive level, we are pleased to see that a growing number of fields are generating Frontiers in Psychology mixed methods research, and we are eager to assist in promoting this trend. However, the Received: 31 July 2020 field has experienced some “growing pains”: a certain degree of heterogeneity in terms of Accepted: 18 November 2020 approaches, differences of opinion regarding certain conceptualizations (for example, mixed Published: 09 December 2020 methods vs. multi-methods), numerous design taxonomies, multiple ways of integrating qualitative Citation: and quantitative elements, and various positions on how best to overcome the enduring lack Anguera MT, Blanco-Villaseñor A, of symmetry between qualitative and quantitative aspects. The methodological and substantive Jonsson GK, Losada JL and Portell M (2020) Editorial: Best Practice spectrum is vast and broad, possibly because the mixed methods approach has become “obligatory” Approaches for Mixed Methods for much research, not only in psychology but in practically all branches of the social sciences. Research in Psychological Science. Our proposal for delineating between mixed methods and multimethods has been presented in a Front. Psychol. 11:590131. previous work (Anguera et al., 2018). We believe that a study will be multimethod when, driven by a doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590131 common overall research goal, it uses a series of complementary methodologies, chosen according Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org 1 December 2020 | Volume 11 | Article 590131 Anguera et al. Editorial: Mixed Methods Research in Psychology to a given criterion. According to our proposal, whether it has a analysis program (see Vázquez-Diz et al.; Vázquez-Diz et al.), predominantly qualitative or quantitative nature has no bearing the GSEQ record and analysis program (see Del Giacco on its consideration as a multimethod study. By contrast, the et al.; Escolano-Pérez, Acero-Ferrero et al.; Escolano-Pérez, essence of mixed methods studies is that they contain qualitative Herrero-Nivela et al.; Morales-Sánchez et al.; Portell et al.; and quantitative components that must be integrated to ensure Venturella et al.), the HOISAN record and analysis program (see the mixing of the information they carry. Combining and Alcover et al.; Camerino et al.; Del Giacco et al.; Escolano-Pérez, integrating quantitative and qualitative data in the same study, Herrero-Nivela et al.; Menescardi et al.; Morales-Sánchez et al.; however, poses numerous challenges, and attempts have been Portell et al.; Vázquez-Diz et al.; Vázquez-Diz et al.), and the made in recent years to untangle this Gordian knot, generating THEME analysis program (see Brill and Schwab; Camerino et al.; and developing strategies for successfully integrating qualitative Casarrubea et al.; Escolano-Pérez, Herrero-Nivela et al.; Hunyadi; and quantitative data. Morales-Sánchez et al.; Portell et al.; Prat et al.; Szekrényes). The aim of this Research Topic is to present a selection Furthermore, we highlight the studies by Suárez et al. and of studies whose methodological approaches include, as a Terrenghi et al., in which the DRAGON program has been central element, aspects related to the Gordian knot of used for the transcription of interviews; that of Morales-Sánchez mixed methods, that also incorporate secondary—but no less et al., where the FACE READER program has been used to important—elements such as dataset transformation, analytical obtain data on facial expressions, ALCESTE in the study by techniques and data integration, as well as studies in which Rodríguez-Naveiras et al. for text analysis; ATLAS.ti in Suárez systematic observation is used as a mixed method in itself. et al. also for text analysis; AMOS in the article by Teques et al. The Research Topic has promoted a transparent presentation for the analysis of structural equations; MATLAB in Menescardi of the mixed approach used to develop the conceptual, et al., and the WEKA tool to materialize data mining in the article methodological or application-related contribution of each by Pastrana et al.. In turn, the SPSS has been used in Aranda et al., article. This transparency will enable other researchers to Maneiro et al., Rodríguez-Naveiras et al., and R in Casal et al.. critically appraise and replicate the methods used. From a methodological approach, Magnusson’s seminal work The 32 articles that make up the Research Topic Best Practice shows how T-Pattern Analysis (TPA) passes repeatedly between Approaches for Mixed Methods Research in Psychological Science, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and precisely this analysis with contribution from 121 authors, are organized from a technique has allowed the performance of multiple mixed substantive point of view in different criteria, although each of methods studies, be treated in a unique way, or combined with the published articles could have been “classified” from several others, with the analysis of polar coordinates, as in the work of points of view. Portell et al.. There are several articles published in this Research Topic that have used the TPA, and with a methodological purpose METHODOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS rather than application. Hunyadi’s article is an exponent of the great possibilities in the field of communication understood in It is important to highlight the contributions made in the a multimodal way, through the HuComTech project, and that articles published in this Research Topic from the methodological of Szekrényes, which technologically allows starting records in criteria, given the conceptual amplitude of the mixed methods ELAN to analyze the data with THEME. topic and its repercussions in applied studies. The essential desideratum of mixed methods lies in the use of We distinguish different procedural orientations, which could data of diverse nature, and the study by Brill and Schwab uses be structured around different facets, such as conceptual, data from self-reports (from questionnaires) and videographic technological, methodological, psychometric, and teaching. recording of behavior, in addition to content analysis. Likewise, Schoonenboom’s work focuses centrally on case development Teques et al. start from the data of self-reports and observational from the perspective of mixed methods, conceptually showing records. For their part, in Prat et al. data were obtained from how to save the successive controversies that may arise, to later observational instruments and Likert scales. In Suárez et al. develop subcases, and finally, a moderate case. interviews, questionnaires, and observational records are used. If we look from a technological perspective in the mixed And in Terrenghi et al. videographic recordings, self-reports, methods, we locate the article by Müller et al., which focuses manual registration, questionnaires, and focus groups were the on the study of sensors to study social processes, which provide chosen data gathering methods. quantitatively and qualitatively treatable data. From a laboratory In recent years, consideration of the observational setting, Casarrubea et al. deepens in reflections about the methodology began as mixed method itself (Anguera and meaning of “the qualitative” and “the quantitative.” Zurutuza Hernández-Mendo, 2016; Anguera et al., 2017), and has et al., in a telemetric study, use data from GPS technology, expanded rapidly, as this Research Topic attests. Among now expanding. the 32 published articles, there are 17 that use observational If we refer to computer programs used, we highlight methodology, and from this point of view, the great macro- the LINCE recording program (see Alcover et al.; Aranda stages that characterize the process are expressed through et al.; Casal et al.; Escolano-Pérez, Acero-Ferrero et al.; the QUAL-QUAN-QUAL, which allows qualitative data to be Escolano-Pérez, Herrero-Nivela et al.; Maneiro et al.; Portell transformed into other types, also qualitative, but in such a way et al.; Prat et al.; Terrenghi et al.), the SAGT generalizability that they can be treated quantitatively, and then interpreted Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org 2 December 2020 | Volume 11 | Article 590131 Anguera et al. Editorial: Mixed Methods Research in Psychology qualitatively (Anguera et al., 2020; Anguera et al., in press). The Research Topic proposal has been motivating, exciting This interpretation of mixed methods is strongly supported by and satisfying, as well as the highest level of acceptance of the the words of Creswell and Plano Clark (2007), when referring originals. Regarding the management, the originals of the 32 to connecting as a way of integration between qualitative and articles that make up this Research Topic were published between quantitative elements. The articles consisting of empirical studies January 2019 and July 2020. 48 manuscripts were sent; therefore, found in this block are the following, in alphabetical order of the the acceptance percentage was 66.6%. first author: Alcover et al., Aranda et al., Camerino et al., Casal et al., Del Giacco et al., Escolano-Pérez, Acero-Ferrero et al., Escolano-Pérez, Herrero-Nivela et al., Maneiro et al., Menescardi AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS et al., Morales-Sánchez et al., Portell et al., Prat et al., Suárez et al., Vázquez-Diz et al., Vázquez-Diz et al., Venturella et al., and All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual Zurutuza et al.. contribution to the work, and approved it for publication. Reflecting on the transit that has been carried out in certain areas, from controlled clinical trials, considered as mono- method, to mixed methods, there is a conceptual path that is FUNDING emphasized by Carey et al., and paying special attention to The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of a Spanish causation and operationalization. government subproject, Integration ways between qualitative With a clearly psychometric interest, the works of and quantitative data, multiple case development, and synthesis Timoszyk-Tomczak et al., and Llistosella et al. were published, review as main axis for an innovative future in physical activity about the adaptation of a measurement instrument. and sports research [PGC2018-098742-B-C31] (2019–2021) From the point of view of data analysis, the following (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/Agencia techniques have been used in the empirical studies of this Estatal de Investigación/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional), Research Topic: TPA (9), analysis of polar coordinates (8), which is part of the coordinated project, New approach of analysis of generalizability (4), lag sequential analysis (3), research in physical activity and sport from mixed methods analysis of variance (3), and, to a lesser extent, comparison of perspective (NARPAS_MM) [SPGC201800X098742CV0]. We proportions, Student’s t, Pearson’s correlation analysis, factor also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Generalitat analysis, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, logistic de Catalunya Research Group GRUP DE RECERCA E regression, structural equation models, and decision tree. INNOVACIÓ EN DISSENYS [GRID], Tecnología i aplicació And we end this block with teaching on mixed methods, with multimedia i digital als dissenys observacionals [Grant 2017 the work of Roberts et al., which advocates that the teaching of SGR 1405]. mixed methods be carried out by insisting from the beginning on the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods, instead of doing it separately and sequentially. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We sincerely appreciate the work of the Editors: M. R. AREAS OF APPLICATION Albuquerque (2), M. T. Anguera (11), L. Badenes-Ribera (1), A. Blanco-Villaseñor (1), A. Giuliani (1), G. K. Jonsson (7), J. L. The studies that we publish in this section stand out for both Losada (1), M. A. Peláez-Fernández (1), G. Pioggia (1), M. Portell substantive and procedural aspects within mixed methods, but we (4), M. K. Soylu (1), and J.E. Yoo (1). have considered that the emphasis that they represent at the level Likewise, we deeply appreciate the work done by the many of application areas was the most important. reviewers who have collaborated, from their important critical In decreasing order, there are 11 articles in the field and optimizing role in the submitted manuscripts: C. Arce (1), of sport, 7 in school-education, 4 in clinical psychology, 2 L. P. Ardigó (1), P. T. Barrett (1), G. Bassi (1), M. Bernardo- in conversation analysis, and one in each of the following Filho (1), A. Blanco-Villaseñor (1), A. Borges (2), T. R. Brick (1), fields: occupational health, the media, feeding behavior in L. Capranica (1), H. Carretero-Dios (1), M. Casarrubea (2), M. rats, resilience, organizational psychology, time, and teaching. Castañer (1), N. Codina (2), C. Cortis (1), D. S. Costa (1), P. Furthermore, there is one that is purely methodological, and does de Carli (1), R. D. Díaz (1), J. N. García-Pérez (1), A. Gil-Arias not refer to any substantive scope. (1), D. González-Gómez (1), S. González-Villora (1), C. Haen (1), D. L. Hassert (1), A. Hernández-Mendo (1), E. Herrán (1), CONCLUSIONS F. P. Holgado-Tello (1), L. Hunyadi (1), C. Izquierdo (2), J. S. Jeong (1), H. Kanematsu (1), C. Lupo (1), R. Maneiro (2), M. In short, the articles included in the Research Topic make up a S. Matthews (1), J. A. Maxwell (1), J. J. F. Muñoz (1), A. Oshio broad spectrum. (1), I. Pavlidis (2), J. D. Perezgonzalez (2), M. Pic (3), A. Popa- As Editors of this Research Topic, we want to express the Wagner (1), G. M. Praça (1), Schwab (2), J. Schoonenboom (1), satisfaction that comes from having the opportunity to offer G. Tartarisco (1), A. M. Tuset (1), A. Valero-Valenzuela (1), P. the materialization of new studies in the exciting field of mixed Valsasina (1), S. Volk (1), C. R. Wastaff (1), M. Zajenkowski (1), methods to the scientific community. and L. Zimmerman (1). Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org 3 December 2020 | Volume 11 | Article 590131 Anguera et al. Editorial: Mixed Methods Research in Psychology Thanks to all to their effort and dedication, meticulous and And we thank Frontiers in Psychology for having trusted in professional, they have managed to improve the originals sent, our proposal of the Research Topic Best Practice Approaches and we are aware of the long time spent in this work, silent, but for Mixed Methods Research in Psychological Science, as of great relevance to Frontiers in Psychology, the Research Topic, well as the invaluable help given in the management and the authors themselves. 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Psychol. 8:2196. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02196 Copyright © 2020 Anguera, Blanco-Villaseñor, Jonsson, Losada and Portell. This Anguera, M. T., and Hernández-Mendo, A. (2016). Avances en estudios is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons observacionales en Ciencias del Deporte desde los mixed methods [Advances Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums in mixed methods observational studies in sports sciences]. Cuadernos de is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited Psicología del Deporte 16, 17–30. and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted Anguera, M. T., Portell, P., Hernández-Mendo, A., Sánchez-Algarra, P., and academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not Jonsson, G. K. (in press). “Diachronic analysis of qualitative data,” in Reviewer’s comply with these terms. Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org 4 December 2020 | Volume 11 | Article 590131