One Dataset, Two Methodologies Comparing Glaserian Classic Grounded Theory and Phenomenology in Parkinson's Disease Caregiver Grief Research
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Abstract
Qualitative researchers often face decisions about methodological fit when examining complex human experiences. This paper presents a structured comparison of Glaserian Classic Grounded Theory and descriptive phenomenology through sequential analyses of the same Parkinson’s disease caregiver grief dataset. The initial Glaserian Classic Grounded Theory study generated a substantive explanatory framework, The Theory of Care Realignment, outlining how former spousal caregivers resolved their primary concerns following loss. A subsequent phenomenological analysis of the identical interviews produced a thematic structure that illuminated the lived experience of caregiver grief. By contrasting philosophical foundations, research aims, analytic logic, procedural rigor, and final products, this paper demonstrates how methodological orientation shapes what becomes visible in the data. The comparison offers practical guidance for qualitative researchers making design decisions related to theory development and experiential description.
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