The Qualitative Imagination in Counseling Psychology: Enhancing Methodological Rigor Across Methods

Fifteen years have passed since the publication of a landmark issue of the Journal of Counseling Psychology on qualitative and mixed methods research (Haverkamp et al., 2005), which signaled a methodological shift in counseling psychology and related fields. At the time, qualitative research was certainly less popular in the field and arguably less respected than it is now. This special issue charts advances in qualitative and mixed methods research since the publication of that issue, reflects on how these diverse approaches are conducted today, and points toward new methodological frontiers. The articles in this special issue include a range of methodological tools and theoretical perspectives that extend thinking about the ethics, practice, evaluation, and implications of psychological research. Notably, the articles are linked by a shared commitment to conducting psychological research critically-that is, to both critique dominant norms in the discipline and to sensitize psychological methods to power and inequality-and to advancing social justice. In this introduction, the guest editors survey authors' contributions and synthesize their insights to offer recommendations for future qualitative and mixed methods work in the field, particularly in terms of interdisciplinarity, methodological rigor, critical psychology, and social justice. They propose that counseling psychologists should cultivate a qualitative imagination with respect to all forms of empirical research (qualitative and quantitative) and offer specific guidance for enhancing methodological sophistication and sensitivity to power. Accordingly, this special issue is an important opportunity to set an agenda for the next decade-plus of critical inquiry in counseling psychology.

Automated summary

This special issue in the Journal of Counseling Psychology traces the advancements in qualitative and mixed methods research over the past fifteen years, reflecting on the diverse approaches applied today and pointing towards new methodological frontiers. The articles in this issue are linked by a commitment to critically analyze psychological research with a focus on social justice and power dynamics. The guest editors offer recommendations for future qualitative and mixed methods work, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches, methodological rigor, critical psychology, and social justice.