Women and Crack-Cocaine In compiling data for their book,

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the qualitative research techniques used to collect and interpret data. It can be noted here that analyzing methods used in writing books about psychosocial phenomena are important because, in any study, confidence can be placed in findings only to the extent that the research can be supported as having internal validity. The presented analysis concludes with an overall evaluation of the general soundness of the research.

Regarding the internal validity associated with the qualitative methods used by Inciardi et. al (1993), it can be noted here that the use of these research techniques have certain advantages and disadvantages. Clearly, one of the primary advantages associated with the qualitative methods used by the authors is that they offered strategies for obtaining information in a setting where the use of strict experimental methods (e.g., random assignment of subjects to groups, control of extraneous variables, etc.) would have been impossible to apply.

Indeed, with respect to the foregoing, Inciardi reports that the setting was su

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ions or disadvantages. One of the clear disadvantages associated with the use of these techniques is the limit they place on any causal interpretations of factors. As noted by Brown (1988), qualitative research, being non-experimental in nature, cannot justify interpretations of causality among investigated factors because it does not control for the contribution made to the behavior by non-investigated variables. Inciardi, Lockwood and Pottieger (1993) did not have a sound methodological basis for discussing any of the variables they studied in terms of causal connections. Unfortunately, despite this fact, the authors made some causal statements. For example, in several passages, they attributed their observances directly to the impact of crack-cocaine usage which they further stated had a unique impact on women. This statement can not be justified. In order to know whether cocaine usage had a unique impact on women, the authors' sample groups would have to be compared to several control groups (e.g., (1) a control group of women matched in terms of demographic and background factors who were taking drugs other than crack-cocaine; (2) men matched to women in terms of demographic and background factors who were taking c
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Lockwood Pottieger, Cashion Basirico, Evaluation Based, Analysis Regarding, Kiess Bloomquist, Bloomquist DW, Brown FG, qualitative methods, Basirico LA, Personality Theory, inciardi et, , al 1993, ethnographic research, et al, et al 1993, inciardi et al, lockwood pottieger, inciardi lockwood pottieger, pervin 1980, qualitative research, 3rd ed, lockwood pottieger 1993, allowed researchers, unique impact women,
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