What standards should be set for qualitative research conducted in a science faculty: Psychology, rigour and the politics of evidence

While the field of clinical psychology has traditionally relied on empirical research, particularly in the form of randomised control trials, many important questions can also be answered by a wide range of qualitative methods. These methods allow for a closer analysis of therapeutic process, the narrative and interior life of the client, the ways in which meaning is constructed by those in distress and much more. Despite increasing recognition tensions arise when advocating for and employing qualitative methods in a science faculty, tensions that can only be alleviated by what Derrida (1997) calls ‘An Ethic of Hospitality.’ This ethics implies a process of mutual influence between researchers, one which has the potential to both deepen the focus of traditional clinical research and enhance the rigour applied to qualitative work. Ten standards are proposed to ensure trustworthiness in qualitative research, including, including those which support researcher reflexivity and the credibility and dependability of findings. Specific examples of current studies that rely on these standards will be provided