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Doing Reflexive Thematic Analysis

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Supporting Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Abstract

This chapter presents the essentials of conceptualising, designing and doing reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA), in counselling and psychotherapy. The authors contextualise TA as a family of methods, with some quite radically different approaches, ranging theoretically from ‘scientifically descriptive’ to ‘artfully interpretative’. After outlining key design and conceptual considerations for TA research, they describe the practice of reflexive TA, detailing a six-phase approach, illustrated with reference to our example study of living with alopecia. Throughout, the authors discuss the value of researcher subjectivity and practicing reflexivity, and encourage readers to strive to be a thoughtful, engaged, knowing researcher for quality reflexive TA.

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Further Reading

  • Ginny and Victoria’s book—supported by an extensive open access companion website (https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/thematic-analysis/book248481)—provides the definitive guide to doing reflexive TA: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage

  • Their website www.thematicanalysis.net includes FAQs, annotated reading lists, links to YouTube lectures and more.

  • Nikki and Gareth Terry’s book provides a succinct accessible guide to reflexive TA: Terry, G., & Hayfield, N. (2021). Essentials of thematic analysis. American Psychological Association.

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  • For more on research design in reflexive TA, see: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Conceptual and design thinking for thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychology, 9(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000196

  • For a detailed discussion of quality in reflexive TA, including common problems to avoid, see: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328–352.

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  • Finally, for a detailed discussion of the (mis)use of the saturation concept in TA research, see: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). To saturate or not to saturate? Questioning data saturation as a useful concept for thematic analysis and sample-size rationales. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise & Health, 13(2), 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1704846

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Waipapa Taumata Rau/The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Virginia Braun

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, UK

    Victoria Clarke, Nikki Hayfield & Elizabeth Jenkinson

  3. Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, London, UK

    Louise Davey

Authors
  1. Virginia Braun
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  2. Victoria Clarke
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  3. Nikki Hayfield
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  4. Louise Davey
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  5. Elizabeth Jenkinson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Virginia Braun .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Metanoia Institute, London, UK

    Sofie Bager-Charleson

  2. Metanoia Institute, London, UK

    Alistair McBeath

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Braun, V., Clarke, V., Hayfield, N., Davey, L., Jenkinson, E. (2022). Doing Reflexive Thematic Analysis. In: Bager-Charleson, S., McBeath, A. (eds) Supporting Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13942-0_2

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