Qualitative Measures and Refugee Research
The Case Of Afghan Refugees

Patricia A. Omidian

There has been much debate, both in the literature and in the classroom, about the merits of quantitative versus qualitative research. Qualitative research methods are usually seen in opposition to or even as less rigorous than quantitative research, but the best research includes both. The hallmark of qualitative research is not the use of a single method for data collection and analysis, but the researcher's use of multiple methods of gathering data and on-going analysis. This process uncovers a different type of data from that of strictly statistical methodologies, which focus on broader, less contextual issues. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the range of qualitative methodological approaches in assessing refugee wellness with consideration of sample size, reliability, and validity in the process of data collection, and then to discuss methods of data analysis.