The Eye Regards Itself: Benefits and Challenges of Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Work Research

TLDR

Although reflexivity is widely recognized as central to qualitative research, no empirical study has examined how researchers actually practice it. This study sought to collect qualitative social work researchers’ perspectives on the benefits, challenges, and limitations of reflexivity. The project surveyed 34 researchers from eight countries—primarily the United States—who employed diverse methods and varied experience levels. Interviews revealed that reflexive practices benefit both researchers and projects, yet face personal, project‑related, professional, and systemic obstacles, a gap between valuing and using reflexivity, and a need to balance flexibility with rigor, prompting recommendations for future research and assessment of reflexivity in published work.

Abstract

Much has been written about the central role of reflexivity in qualitative research, yet there has been no empirical study of how researchers actually practice reflexivity and what it is like for them to do so. To address this question, a project was developed to gather information directly from qualitative social work researchers about the perceived benefits, challenges, and limitations of reflexivity. Participants, representing eight countries with the majority (65%) from the United States, included researchers using diverse methods with varying degrees of experience. In their interviews, these 34 scholars discussed the benefits of reflexive activities for both themselves and their research projects; obstacles that were personal, project-related, professional, and systemic; a discrepancy between valuation and actual use of reflexive practices; and the need to balance flexibility and rigor. The article concludes with directions for further inquiry and suggestions for assessing the adequacy of reflexivity in published studies.