How Can Qualitative Methods Be Applied to Behavior Analytic Research: A Discussion and Suggestions for Implementation
Use Burney’s guiding questions to bolt a quick interview onto any study and turn parent opinions into useful data.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Burney et al. (2024) wrote a how-to paper. They show BCBAs ways to add open-ended interviews, focus groups, and field notes to regular behavior-analytic work.
The authors give guiding questions you can ask before, during, and after a study. These questions keep the qualitative part tied to behavior-change goals.
What they found
The paper does not give new data. Instead, it gives a checklist that helps you decide if a story-based method fits your project.
Following the steps can deepen social-validity answers and catch parent or staff views that numbers alone miss.
How this fits with other research
Whaling et al. (2025) already used the idea. They ran parent interviews to map how caregiver coaching works, showing the Burney guide in action.
Taylor et al. (1993) did similar work thirty years earlier. They watched parent-training groups and listed six therapist roles plus five parent themes. Burney’s questions update that work for today’s BCBAs.
Roberts et al. (2018) take the opposite road. They push causal-mediation stats while Burney pushes stories. Both papers aim to uncover hidden gears; one uses numbers, the other words.
Why it matters
You can add a short parent interview at the end of your next parent-training package. Ask the Burney questions, record the answers, and you will see why some skills stick and others fade. No extra degree needed—just a voice recorder and the checklist.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavior analysts in research and clinical practice are interested in an ever-expanding array of topics. They are compelled to explore the social validity of the interventions they propose and the findings they generate. As the field moves in these important directions, qualitative methods are becoming increasingly relevant. Representing a departure from small-n design favored by behavior analysts, qualitative approaches provide analysts a unique set of tools to answer questions that prioritize voice, experience, and understandings in context. Despite recognition of the value of qualitative approaches in other disciplines, application of qualitative methods in behavior analysis remains limited. One likely explanation is that behavior analysts are not yet fluent in applying qualitative approaches within their clinical and research investigations. To address this issue, exploration of qualitative research approaches in behavior analytic literature is needed, alongside practical advice for analysts who are interested in using qualitative methods. This article briefly outlines qualitative literature which pertains to behavior analysts wanting to incorporate qualitative methods into their inquiries. Attention is primarily drawn to the need for coherence in designing and implementing a robust qualitative study that aligns with the behavior analyst’s aims and perspective on knowing. A set of guiding questions are provided to orient behavior analysts to considerations in qualitative research and outline how analysts can conceptualize a strong qualitative study. This article aims to support increased application of qualitative methods by behavior analysts, where these methods best address the function of the behavior analytic investigation.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s40617-024-00917-1