Sample extensiveness in qualitative nutrition education research

Objective: Extensiveness represents the amount of information gathered in q ualitative research. This Study examined sample extensiveness in qualitativ e nutrition education research. Design: Retrospective analysis was performed on articles published in the J ournal of Nutrition Education (JNE) from 1969 to 1999 (Volumes 1 to 31). Subjects: Content analysis was used to code articles and the studies they r eported as units of analysis. Outcome Measures: Articles were coded to determine whether they included on e Or more studies using qualitative research and, if so, the types of quali tative studies performed, the sample extensiveness of each study, and menti on of sample extensiveness limitations in the article. Statistical Analyses: The statistics used were univariate (counts, percenta ges, means, medians, modes, ranges) and bivariate (chi-square, correlations ). Results: Of the published JNE articles, 71 (8%) used qualitative methods, a nd most (85%) qualitative articles were published in the 1990s. Some (19%) of these articles reported using multiple qualitative methods. The 30 Studi es using individual interviews interviewed an average of 45 people (range 1 5-155). The 38 studies using group interviews averaged 15 groups (range 1-1 80) and 141 people (range 9-900). Ten studies used observation/fieldwork, a nd eight used other types Of qualitative research, mixed with patterns of s ample extensiveness in those studies. Few articles made specific statements about limitations based on sample extensiveness. Implications: Sample extensiveness in qualitative research in JNE, varied c onsiderably. Future qualitative research would benefit from more explicit a ttention to sample extensiveness.