Fishler Malone Kristen, Carmichael Nikkola
Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics & Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Medical Sciences and Education, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
J Genet Couns. 2025 Jun;34(3):e70060. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.70060.
Grounded theory was first described by Glaser and Strauss (1967, The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Aldine) as the "discovery of theory from data," and describes a group of related methodologies that share key elements of study design and data analysis. Since its inception, grounded theory has evolved into several subtypes with different philosophical underpinnings, the most common of which are post-positivism and constructivism. In post-positivist interpretive frameworks, research is guided by a series of rigorous and logically related steps to identify a single objective underlying reality. In constructivist interpretive frameworks, the researcher strives to understand the meaning participants make of a phenomenon within their social and historical context, recognizing that their own position and perspectives shape their interpretation of their participants' experiences. Grounded theory studies include multiple stages of coding, concurrent collection and analysis of data, constant comparative data analysis, theoretical sampling, and memo-writing to capture researcher reflections and evolving theoretical ideas. The outcome of the study should be a substantive theory that is grounded in the data and describes the phenomenon being studied. Publications relevant to the genetic counseling profession have used a grounded theory approach to investigate a range of topics including patient experiences, professional issues, and genetic counseling education. This article describes the theoretical underpinnings and defining characteristics of grounded theory, provides an overview of post-positivist and constructivist grounded theory approaches, and outlines key elements to consider when conducting and evaluating grounded theory research.
扎根理论最早由格拉泽和施特劳斯（1967年，《扎根理论的发现：定性研究策略》。阿尔丁出版社）描述为“从数据中发现理论”，它描述了一组相关的方法论，这些方法论共享研究设计和数据分析的关键要素。自诞生以来，扎根理论已演变成几种具有不同哲学基础的子类型，其中最常见的是后实证主义和建构主义。在后实证主义的解释框架中，研究由一系列严谨且逻辑相关的步骤指导，以确定一个单一的客观潜在现实。在建构主义的解释框架中，研究者努力理解参与者在其社会和历史背景下对某一现象赋予的意义，认识到他们自己的立场和观点会影响他们对参与者经历的解释。扎根理论研究包括多个编码阶段、数据的同步收集与分析、持续比较数据分析、理论抽样以及撰写备忘录以记录研究者的思考和不断演变的理论观点。研究结果应该是一个基于数据且描述所研究现象的实质性理论。与遗传咨询行业相关的出版物采用扎根理论方法来研究一系列主题，包括患者体验、专业问题和遗传咨询教育。本文描述了扎根理论的理论基础和定义特征，概述了后实证主义和建构主义扎根理论方法，并概述了进行和评估扎根理论研究时需要考虑的关键要素。
