English
Introduction
The case study method and the phenomenological study are two prominent methods of qualitative research design. The case study method involves an attempt to understand an issue or a problem using a case as an illustrative instance to elucidate features of a larger class of similar phenomena (Gerring, 2004). In contrast, a phenomenological study is used to describe particular phenomena, or the appearance of things, as a ‘lived in experience’ (Penner & McClemont, 2008). A phenomenological study is not aimed at explaining or discovering causes. Instead, its main aim is to arrive at the rich essence of experience lived in by subjects of studies (Penner & McClemont, 2008). The distinction will be elucidated through an actual case study and a phenomenological study.
Arafat, Karim & Chaudhary (2015) attempt to study the association of mental illnesses with family history. They narrow down their research by observing the case of a 31-year-old male of average intelligence, from an average economic stratum, suffering from schizophrenia. When they analyze the family background of the subject, they find that in the patient’s generation, there were two males diagnosed with schizophrenia, two other males affected with personality disorder and two with substance related disorders. In the previous generation, they found one male relative suffering from personality disorder and a female relative who committed suicide after a bout of depression. Observing the case, the researchers hypothesize that the case provides credence to the generalized notion that personality disorders have hereditary linkages. They argue that the case provides grounds for further extensive genetic research to map mental illnesses to genetic factors (Arafat, Karim & Chaudhary, 2015).
Phenomenological Study
Schumacher (2010) studied the lived experiences of leisure for caregivers with dependent children who also bore the burden of taking care of parents afflicted with dementia. The researcher approached the study as a phenomenology as she felt that such a study would provide the nuances of everyday experience of the caregivers and provide a holistic picture of their lives, one that could not be captured through quantitative studies. The aim of the study was to allow the essence of the experience to emerge from the data. The researcher selected participants according to the dictates of the study. She used her personal experience with caregiving for her aunt who suffered from dementia to create a framework of bonding with the participants, so that they could share their experiences freely, becoming ‘partners in the process of understanding the lived experience’ (Schumacher, 2010, p. 26). Consequent to forming a strong bond with the participants, the researcher obtained data through personal interviews. Subsequently, the researcher documented the participants’ experiences and stories (Schumacher, 2010).
Contrast
The two studies provide the necessary contrasts in their approaches. There is no personal interaction by the researchers with the subjects of a case study. On the other hand, a phenomenological study requires intense personal rapport and interaction. The case study sets the grounds for a broader study, which could be quantitative in nature. For instance, a follow up study could determine the probability of genetic disorder given a certain number of relatives bearing mental illness in the previous generation. In contrast, a phenomenological study is restricted to a particular narrow situation. The experiences of caregivers with dependent children caring for parents with dementia cannot be generalized to the experiences of all caregivers with parents with dementia. Therefore, while phenomenology provides a rich individualized experience, its scope is narrower than that of a case study, which can initiate studies investigating broader generalizations.
References
Arafat, S.M.Y., Karim, A., & Chaudhary, S. (2015). Legacy of mental illness: a family with unusual genetic penetration. Medical Case Studies 6/3: 10-13. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/MCS/article-full-text-pdf/F1B958855530
Gerring, J. (2004). What is a case study and what is it good for? American Political Science Review 98/2: 341-354. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.besafe-project.net/files/DOWNLOAD2/Gerring_2004_what%20is%20a%20case%20study%20and%20what%20is%20it%20good%20for.pdf
Penner, J.L., & McClemont, S.E. (2008). Using phenomenology to examine the experiences of family caregivers of patients with advanced head and neck cancer: reflections of a novice researcher. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 7/2: 92-101. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from https://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/IJQM/article/view/1344
Schumacher, L.A. (2010). The caregiver’s journey: a phenomenological study of the lived experience of leisure for caregivers in the sandwich generation who care for a parent with dementia. (Master of Arts thesis, University of Iowa). Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1784&context=etd
