Sibbald Kaitlin R, Phelan Shanon K, Beagan Brenda L, Pride Tara M
Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Qual Health Res. 2025 Mar 28:10497323241309230. doi: 10.1177/10497323241309230.
Researcher reflexivity and acknowledgement of positionality are emerging as key concepts for evaluating the quality of qualitative research. Collectively, we explore the relationship between reflexivity and positionality statements as reflexive practice, considering who benefits, who has authority, and our expectations of each other as qualitative researchers. Moving between examples of doing reflexivity in practice and what is often requested of authors during the peer review and editorial processes, we challenge the idea that positionality statements in the form of identity disclosures ought to be taken as the token performance of reflexive work, despite their frequent use as such. We begin by outlining the role and purpose of reflexivity in qualitative research and follow by examining the turn toward identity disclosure as fulfilling this purpose. Following, we examine the ways in which a "shopping list" positionality statement can create disproportionate risk, reinforce stereotypes, and homogenize researchers identifying with marginalized groups, without necessarily benefiting the research process or how research is communicated. In addition, we present alternative ways of doing and communicating reflexivity in qualitative research that, although not without their own challenges, allow reflexivity to take up the space it deserves during the research process and dissemination.
研究者的反思性和对自身定位的承认正逐渐成为评估定性研究质量的关键概念。我们共同探讨反思性与作为反思性实践的定位陈述之间的关系，思考谁能从中受益、谁拥有权威以及作为定性研究人员我们对彼此的期望。在实践中进行反思的实例与同行评审和编辑过程中通常对作者的要求之间切换时，我们对这样一种观点提出质疑，即尽管身份披露形式的定位陈述经常被如此使用，但不应将其视为反思性工作的象征性表现。我们首先概述反思性在定性研究中的作用和目的，接着考察转向身份披露以实现这一目的的情况。随后，我们审视一份“购物清单”式定位陈述可能如何制造不成比例的风险、强化刻板印象以及使认同边缘化群体的研究人员同质化，而不一定有益于研究过程或研究成果的传播方式。此外，我们还介绍了定性研究中进行反思和传达反思性的其他方式，尽管这些方式也并非没有自身的挑战，但能让反思性在研究过程和传播过程中占据应有的空间。
