How do I determine validity and reliability in qualitative content analysis?
The concepts of validity and reliability are typically associated with quantitative research. According to Heale and Twycross:
Validity is defined as the extent to which a concept is accurately measured in a quantitative study.
Reliability [is defined as] the accuracy of an instrument. In other words, the extent to which a research instrument consistently has the same results if it is used in the same situation on repeated occasions.
For qualitative, the argument is that validity and reliability do not necessarily apply to one’s perception of reality. According to Trochim:
Depending on their philosophical perspectives, some qualitative researchers reject the framework of validity that is commonly accepted in more quantitative research in the social sciences. They reject the basic realist assumption that their is a reality external to our perception of it. Consequently, it doesn’t make sense to be concerned with the “truth” or “falsity” of an observation with respect to an external reality (which is a primary concern of validity).
Alternatively, Guba and Lincoln offered four criteria for researchers to simulate the objectives of validity and reliability for qualitative research. These are:
Credibility - Results are credible, or believable
Transferability - Results can be generalized to other settings.
Dependability - Opposed to the concept of reliability, research “describ[es] the changes that occur in the setting and how these changes affected the way the research approached the study”
Confirmability - Assumes that the researcher brings a unique perspective
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