Die benutting van die enkelgevalstudiemetode in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

English: Single-case studies have played an important role in the development of psychology and have been used by many important theorists as a research and theory-building aid. Today the single-case study has become an unpopular and rarely used method in research and is seen by many researchers as lacking in validity. This study aims to establish how this controversial method is applied in South Africa today. Literature on single-case studies points to a division between quantitative and qualitative single-case studies with a wide range of applications in both areas. Some researchers and research supervisors are still confused concerning the possible uses and contributions of this method. South African dissertations and theses as well as international articles were identified by computer searches. Qualitative methodology was used to analyse the international journal articles (N=55) and South African theses and dissertations (N=22). These single-case studies were analysed according to five themes: (I) quantitative or qualitative methodology, (2) the specialization area, (3) the research aim, (4) the motivation for the study and ( 5) the use and value of the results. South African single-case studies are mostly qualitative and occur mostly in the systemic, social-constructionist and psychodynamic fields. The international single-case studies showed a more even distribution between qualitative and quantitative studies. South African single-case studies are mostly descriptive, choosing to describe either a certain phenomenon or process, an intervention or measuring instrument. Many researchers are motivated by the need to produce a practical application of a theory or technique. The results of these studies give practical hints for further research and therapy and show the usefulness of theories which previously seemed impractical. Single-case studies produce detailed, contextualised in-depth information that would not become available by means of group-comparison research designs.Afrikaans: Die enkelgevalstudie het in die ontwikkeling van die sielkunde 'n bepalende rol gespeel en is deur sommige van die belangrike teoretici as navorsingsmetode gebruik. Ten spytehiervan het enkelgevalstudies 'n onpopulere en min gebruikte navorsingsmetode geword wat deur sommige navorsers as ongeldig beskou word. In hierdie navorsingstudie wordgepoog om te bepaal hoe die enkelgevalstudie vandag in Suid-Afrika benut word. Literatuur oor enkelgevalstudies dui daarop dat hierdie soort studies in kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe studies verdeel kan word en dui verder op verskeie toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die enkelgevalstudie. Ten spyte daarvan bestaan daar by sekere navorsers en studieleiers onsekerheid oor die nut en waarde van hierdie metode asook oor die moontlike gebruike daarvan. Suid-Afrikaanse proefskrifte en verhandelings asook intemasionale artikels is deur middel van rekenaarsoektogte geidentifiseer en versamel. Die intemasionale tydskrifartikels (N=55) en Suid-Afrikaanse proefskrifte en verhandelings (N=22) is aan die hand van kwalitatiewe metodologie ontleed. Die inhoud van die artikels en verhandelings is volgens vyf temas ondersoek: (1) die kwalitatiewe of kwantitatiewe aard daarvan, (2) die spesialisasierigting, (3) die oorhoofse navorsingsdoelstelling, (4) die motivering en (5) die benutting van die resultate. Uit die resultate blyk dat Suid-Afrikaanse enkelgevalstudies meestal kwalitatief van aard is en veral in die sistemiese, sosiaal-konstruksionistiese en psigodinamiese raamwerke gebruik word. In teenstelling hiermee toon internasionale enkelgevalstudies 'n meer eweredige vespreiding tussen kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe studies. Suid-Afrikaanse enkelgevalstudies is meestal beskrywend. Die studies beskryf of 'n verskynsel, of 'n intervensie of die gebruik van 'n meetsinstrument. Die studies word veral gemotiveer deur die behoefte aan die voorlegging van 'n praktiese toepasssing van 'n model of teorie. Die resultate van die studies bied meestal aan terapeute of navorsers praktiese wenke rakende verdere gevalle of navorsing. Verder is dit ook nuttig in die opsig dat dit die bruikbaarheid van sekere teorief of tegnieke toon. Enkelgevalstudies hied detail-, gekontekstualiseerde diepte-inligting wat moeilik deur groepvergelykingsnavorsing beskikbaar gestel sou kon word.