Conceptual anchors in longitudinal qualitative health research: Using a methodological adjunct in longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis

Aims: To highlight how Longitudinal Experiential Concepts can be used as conceptual anchors within Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to gain temporal interpretative phenomenological insights, a lack of which can be a criticism levelled at novice nurse or midwife researchers utilising phenomenological research methods. Design: Longitudinal Experiential Concepts were utilised as a novel methodological adjunct to Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in a study of the lived experience of perinatal anxiety by a midwife researcher. Method: Longitudinal Experiential Concepts were identified following assimilation of Group Experiential Themes and while building the interpretative narrative account across all three data collection time points, with reflexive annotations facilitating their formulation. Results: Within a longitudinal vertical (by time point) analysis, Longitudinal Experiential Concepts can add a horizontal view, giving a contemporaneous and dynamic perspective on the experiential threads woven throughout the temporal experience. Use of these conceptual anchors, enabled with reflexive prompts, can prevent the fragmentation that potentially occurs when examining moments in time in Longitudinal Qualitative Research, facilitate clarity in the temporal view of the whole phenomenon and enable phenomenological insights. Conclusion: A novel addition to the Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method, Longitudinal Experiential Concepts as conceptual anchors can encourage deeper holistic thinking about the less immediately obvious facets of experience and temporal progression and give the novice nurse or midwife researcher a means to robustly access the phenomenological attitude. These principles may be applicable more broadly within other Longitudinal Qualitative Research approaches. Implications for the Profession: The use of Longitudinal Experiential Concepts in Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis can enable nurses, midwives, and other clinical health researchers to produce high-quality, robust longitudinal phenomenological research. This is important due to the popular use and value of these methods aiming to generate new understanding of health conditions and improve patient care. Patient or Public Involvement: Patients and members of the public were involved in the design of the original research study. Their contributions included reviewing study plans, ensuring the research was in line with the priorities of women experiencing poor perinatal mental health, guiding the researchers on the acceptability of the proposed approach to recruitment and data collection and reviewing participant information and study marketing materials. We gratefully acknowledge Get Me Out the Four Walls, Norfolk, for their support enabling this.