Critique of a Qualitative Study on Adolescents' Perspectives on Addiction

This paper is a critique of a qualitative study conducted on the perspectives of adolescents regarding addiction. The study aims to assess the perspectives of adolescents on drug addiction and provide effective strategies to improve their health. The critique evaluates the validity of the results, research design, data collection, and ethical considerations.

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Introduction
This paper is a critique of the qualitative study conducted by Parvizy, Nikbahkt, Pournaghash
Tehrani, & Shahrokhi (2005) on the perspectives of adolescents regarding addiction. The
period of adolescence is one of the most critical developmental stages in which one is likely
to be involved in unbecoming behaviours which can have a negative impact on their general
wellbeing. Over 91% of adults who smoke cigarettes began the habit while they were
adolescents, and over 50% of them develop the habit of routine smoking before they are
eighteen years old (Ozturk, Kahraman, & Bektas, 2013). The increasing rate of smoking and
drug abuse among adolescents makes it a critical issue worthy of consideration. It is,
therefore, significant that the health needs and problems of the adolescents are clearly
understood in order to provide effective strategies that will help improve the health of
adolescents. This paper aims to critique the qualitative study by Parvizy et al. (2005) using
the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (2018).
Critique
The validity of the Results
The study had a clear statement of the aims of the research. The objective of the study was to
assess the perspectives of adolescents on drug addiction. The study was important because
statistics show that over 91% of adults are smokers who began smoking at the adolescent's
stage and over 50% of them became routine smokers by age 18 (Wills, Knight, Williams,
Pagano, & Sargent, 2015). Moreover, the study was needful and focused on Iran because it is
one of the countries with the largest populations of adolescents (15 million young people),
thus making it also relevant (Momtazi & Rawson, 2010). The study will be a basis for further
research on drug addiction in Iran.

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A qualitative methodology was the most appropriate for the study because the researchers
sought to interpret each experience of the respondents. For instance, the study used in-depth,
open semi-structured interviews with each transcribed interview being analysed
independently to generate themes and sub-themes. Qualitative research is the most
appropriate methodology for addressing the perspectives of adolescents on drug addiction
because it is effective in assessing a new phenomenon and for revealing the experiences of
individuals and their perspectives pertaining a given matter (Anderson, 2010). A similar
study on the return to drug use among former prisoners also used a qualitative approach with
the use of open semi-structured interviews (Binswanger et al., 2012).
The research design was appropriate since the authors have justified its use. The authors
assert that a qualitative study is suitable for uncovering the nature of the experiences of
people alongside their perspectives. It is also appropriate when studying a subject matter with
little known research (Momtazi & Rawson, 2010). Binswanger et al. (2012) also used a
similar research design because of little known research. The strategy of recruitment was
inappropriate to the study objective because there was no in-depth explanation of how the
participants were recruited. According to Newington and Metcalfe (2014), a detailed
recruitment strategy is significant in research because it ensures that only the participants
who meet the inclusion criteria are included in the analysis, and this improved the credibility
of the research. Bourne, Reid, Hickson, Torres-Rueda, and Weatherburn (2015) carried out a
comprehensive recruitment strategy to ascertain the illicit use of drugs in sex, and thus had
very high credibility.
Data collection was carried out in a manner that addressed the research problem. The study
used in-depth, open semi-structured interviews to collect data. The study outlines a clear
process of how data was collected but with no justification whatsoever for choosing the

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method. However, the methods have been made explicit by the indication of the use of an
interview guide with questions in the process of data collection. Young and Havens (2012)
outlined an in-depth process of data collection alongside the justification for the use of cross-
sectional comparison method. The use of an interview guide in data collection reduces
researcher bias by ensuring that only relevant questions to the research issue are addressed
(Noble & Smith, 2015). Interview guides were also used by Garner and Ratschen (2013) as a
way of minimising any possible researcher bias. Data collection was carried out using audio-
recording tapes which enable the researchers to repeatedly examine the recordings when
developing themes and sub-themes (Onwuegbuzie, Leech, & Collins, 2010). Similarly,
Binswanger et al. (2012) used audio-recording tapes in a relatively similar research topic.
Data saturation was achieved at the point where no more data could be identified and group
data was understandable. The researchers assessed their own influence in the collection and
analysis of data. The study used member checking, confirmation of developing themes, and
interrogation by two expert supervisors, thus improving the credibility of the study and
minimising any possible researcher bias. Additionally, six faculty members conducted a
second review to establish the reliability of inter-transcripts (Noble & Smith, 2015). The use
of the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board by Binswanger et al. (2012) also
minimised bias.
Results
Multiple ethical issues have adequately been considered in the study. There are sufficient
details on how ethical details were maintained throughout the study. For instance, the
participants were to participate voluntarily and were allowed to withdraw from the study at
any point during the interview. The Research Committee of the institution approved the
research and informed consent was verbally obtained from the potential participants.

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Informed consent was also obtained from all principles of the institutions. Confidentiality and
privacy of the participants were also obtained by carrying out the interview with only one
respondent at a time and in a free environment. Ethical considerations such as approval by the
research and ethics committee and informed consent were similarly used in a study by
Garner, and Ratschen (2013).
Data analysis was sufficiently rigorous. The study provides a detailed explanation of the
process of qualitative content analysis such as transcription, identification and categorization
of data, thematic analysis, and constant comparison. It is also clear how the themes or
categories were developed from the collected data. Reading and re-reading of the transcripts
led to the establishment of subthemes which were further developed into themes through
categorization. However, the study does not explain the presentation of data from the initial
sample. There is sufficient data to support the findings. For example, there is a table on the
demographic profile of the participants such as age, sex, and level of education. Additionally,
there is a table on the emerging themes and subthemes on the causes of addiction. The use of
thematic analysis ensures that data analysis is sufficiently rigorous just like in the study by
Garner, and Ratschen (2013).
The discussion has adequately been carried out for and against the arguments of the
researcher, and in relation to the original research question. Different findings from multiple
studies have been compared with the current outcomes in order to justify the outcomes or
point out an existing gap in the literature.
Conclusion
The study findings have several implications for nursing practice. A proper understanding of
the perspectives of the adolescents on drug addiction is critical to the nurses because they will
get a better understanding on how to better work with them and offer guidance towards better

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and safe behaviours. Based on the views of the students, the nursing practice can develop
prevention programs on drug addiction to help adolescents to overcome drug addiction. The
critiqued paper has a clear statement of the objective of the research with justification for the
research design. The recruitment strategy has also been explained briefly. The study used a
semi-structured interview approach which was appropriate for collecting qualitative data.
Researcher bias has also been minimized through the use of more than one expert during the
review. Despite the credibility and success of the study, future studies should take both the
qualitative and quantitative approaches.

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