Ethics, rigour and agility of research and evaluation methods in a changing social and clinical context: Reflections from a psychosocial research centre on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ethics, rigour and agility of research and evaluation methods in a changing social and clinical context

T2 - Reflections from a psychosocial research centre on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic

AU - Morton, Kate

AU - Calman, Lynn

AU - Grimmett, Chloe

AU - Wright, David

AU - White, Helen

AU - Young, Julie

AU - Radcliffe, Eloise

AU - Foster, Claire

N1 - © 2023 The Author(s).

PY - 2023/2/26

Y1 - 2023/2/26

N2 - The Centre for Psychosocial Research in Cancer conducts world-leading research and service evaluations to support well-being and quality of life amongst those affected by cancer. This paper reflects on how we adapted our research management and study methods during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the implications for ongoing research practice. We use four case studies to consider the benefits and challenges of adapting to remote approaches to research and evaluation delivery: maintaining high ethical standards and data security in evaluation projects with remote approvals; recruiting for and running online discussion groups to inform intervention development; designing and delivering an in-person intervention via video conferencing; and adapting a longitudinal qualitative study to focus on newly emerging issues. We reflect on how we can maintain quality and rigour when conducting remote research and evaluation, and how this can affect our experience as researchers. We also consider possible implications of the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic for the funding and design of future research and evaluations.

AB - The Centre for Psychosocial Research in Cancer conducts world-leading research and service evaluations to support well-being and quality of life amongst those affected by cancer. This paper reflects on how we adapted our research management and study methods during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the implications for ongoing research practice. We use four case studies to consider the benefits and challenges of adapting to remote approaches to research and evaluation delivery: maintaining high ethical standards and data security in evaluation projects with remote approvals; recruiting for and running online discussion groups to inform intervention development; designing and delivering an in-person intervention via video conferencing; and adapting a longitudinal qualitative study to focus on newly emerging issues. We reflect on how we can maintain quality and rigour when conducting remote research and evaluation, and how this can affect our experience as researchers. We also consider possible implications of the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic for the funding and design of future research and evaluations.

KW - Cancer

KW - evaluations

KW - methods

KW - qualitative

KW - remote

KW - well-being

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149331253&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/13645579.2023.2173428

DO - 10.1080/13645579.2023.2173428

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85149331253

SN - 1364-5579

JO - International Journal of Social Research Methodology

JF - International Journal of Social Research Methodology

ER -