Notes on Linking Qualitative and Quantitative Data: The Cross Cultural Physical Activity Participation Study

Abstract

The purpose of this research note is to show how linking qualitative and quantitative data can give additional insights to leisure research. These possibilities are illustrated through a study conducted about the involvement in physical activity of women of color. Over a 6-month period, African American and American Indian participants completed physical activity records and other quantitative measurements including caltrac and pedometer readings. Some of these individuals also completed a 45- to 120-min qualitative interview. Standard protocols for measurement and interviewing were followed. The quantitative data gave baseline information, and the in-depth interviews provided a greater psychosocial understanding of the physical activity of these women of color. This research note demonstrates how the linking of two types of data provided a holistic understanding of the physical activity of these women of color and offered some additional information regarding how data types might be used in leisure research.