Imposter Participants in Synchronous Qualitative Research: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract

Although the issue of bots and fraudulent participants is well established within quantitative research, in recent years there have been increasing incidences of imposter participants within qualitative research. However, how qualitative researchers conceptualise this challenge and what the perceived impact of these imposter participants are, remains underexplored. This systematic scoping review identified 15 articles published since 2018 addressing the topic of imposter participants and fraudulent data in synchronous qualitative research. The review identified that the majority of current articles are commentaries or case study narratives, with little apparent inter disciplinary engagement. Findings indicate that where recommendations are offered these can be subjective or influenced by discipline, with a lack of an evidence informed approach being adopted. The analysis identified three primary issues for applied qualitative research fields, with threats to data integrity and reliability, threats to research diversity, accessibility and reach, and questions of trust and ethics within research highlighted. Developing evidence-based guidance and ensuring cross-disciplinary engagement will be central to maintaining the relevance, impact, and validity of applied qualitative research.