Diseños de investigación cualitativa: Un artículo de revisión narrativa
Qualitative research designs: A narrative review articleBarra lateral del artículo
Contenido principal del artículo
Contexto: La investigación cualitativa se ha consolidado como un enfoque esencial en ciencias sociales y educativas, al ofrecer herramientas para comprender fenómenos humanos complejos desde perspectivas situadas. Objetivo: El estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar los principales diseños de investigación cualitativa publicados entre 2017 y 2026, identificando fundamentos epistemológicos, procedimientos metodológicos, técnicas de recolección y análisis de datos, criterios de rigor específicos y ámbitos de aplicación, incluyendo tendencias emergentes como la fenomenografía. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión narrativa crítica de literatura en bases de datos de alto impacto, aplicando criterios de inclusión rigurosos. Se seleccionaron 62 artículos relevantes, analizados mediante codificación temática, siguiendo las fases de Braun y Clarke para garantizar sistematicidad y coherencia interpretativa. Resultados: El análisis evidenció que los diseños cualitativos presentan fundamentos epistemológicos diversos y objetivos diferenciados, aunque comparten técnicas como entrevistas y observación participante. Se identificó la fenomenografía como tendencia emergente, destacando su énfasis en variaciones colectivas de la experiencia. Persisten vacíos en criterios de rigor específicos y en la integración de múltiples diseños. Conclusión: La investigación concluyó que los diseños cualitativos constituyen herramientas indispensables para comprender fenómenos educativos y sociales, requiriendo formación rigurosa, claridad epistemológica y apertura a tendencias emergentes que amplían las posibilidades metodológicas del campo.
Context: Qualitative research has consolidated itself as an essential approach in social and educational sciences, offering tools to understand complex human phenomena from situated perspectives. Objective: The study aimed to analyze the main qualitative research designs published between 2017 and 2026, identifying epistemological foundations, methodological procedures, data collection and analysis techniques, specific rigor criteria, and application fields, including emerging trends such as phenomenography. Methodology: A critical narrative review of literature from high-impact databases was conducted, applying rigorous inclusion criteria. Sixty-two relevant articles were selected and analyzed through thematic coding, following Braun and Clarke’s phases to ensure systematicity and interpretative coherence. Results: The analysis showed that qualitative designs present diverse epistemological foundations and differentiated objectives, although they share techniques such as interviews and participant observation. Phenomenography was identified as an emerging trend, emphasizing collective variations of experience. Gaps remain in specific rigor criteria and in the integration of multiple designs. Conclusion: The research concluded that qualitative designs are indispensable tools for understanding educational and social phenomena, requiring rigorous training, epistemological clarity, and openness to emerging trends that expand methodological possibilities.
Descargas
Detalles del artículo
Aeini, S., Afzalian, K., Etesam, I., and Shariatrad, F. (2022). Narrative Design as a Historical Technique (Case Study: Grand Mosque of Fahraj). Bagh-e Nazar, 18(104), 107. https://doi.org/10.22034/BAGH.2021.274960.4816
Al Khalifa, H. E., Hanif, S., and Jiwane, A. V. (2026). Heritage Tourism Beyond World Heritage Sites: Urban Development of Al-Diriyah Through the Lens of the Experience Economy Model. Land, 15(4), 554. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040554
Alsaigh, R., and Coyne, I. (2021). Doing a Hermeneutic Phenomenology Research Underpinned by Gadamer’s Philosophy: A Framework to Facilitate Data Analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 16094069211047820. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211047820
Bayuo, J., Aziato, L., Wong, K. C. A., Su, J., Abu‐Odah, H., and Wong, F. K. Y. (2024). Phenomenography: An emerging qualitative research design for nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(2), 821-834. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15874
Bazen, A., Barg, F. K., and Takeshita, J. (2021). Research techniques made simple: An introduction to qualitative research. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 141(2), 241-247. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X20324064
Brunetto, D., and Dello, U. I. (2026). Modeling Cycle and GenAI as Resources for Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Development. Education Sciences, 16(4), 504. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040504
Calderón, M., and Martínez, E. (2026). Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge to Promote Equity with a Gender Perspective. Societies, 16(4), 113. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc16040113
Carew, P., Phillips, J., Cracknell, C., Prea, S., Virtue, D., Nearchou, C., and Hastings-Ison, T. (2026). Developing Peer-to-Peer Feedback Literacy Through Authentic, Situated Learning Experiences. Education Sciences, 16(4), 521. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040521
Carrard, P. (2015). History and Narrative: An Overview. Narrative Works, 5(1), 174-196. https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/nw/2015-v5-n1-nw5_1/nw5_1nkrs04/
Cibangu, S. K. (2022). The origins and informed uses of the terms phenomenography and phenomenology. Journal of Documentation, 79(3), 641-669. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-10-2021-0219
Cleland, J. A. (2017). The qualitative orientation in medical education research. Korean journal of medical education, 29(2), 61. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5465434/
Condori, M. N. (2025). El estado de las investigaciones cualitativas enlas tesis doctorales en educación en el Perú. Revista Digital de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria, 19(2), e1966-e1966. https://revistas.upc.edu.pe/index.php/docencia/article/view/1966
Dağlı, Ö. G., Gökbulut, B., and Yeniasır, M. (2026). The Effects of Turkish Cypriot Traditional Children’s Games on Students with Special Needs in the Context of Values Education. Societies, 16(4), 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc16040111
Daněk, A., and Urgošíková, M. (2024). Qualitative research design in education: Tools, challenges, and practical implications. Ad Alta: Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 14(2). https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=18047890&AN=182229280&h=1MGBZx7EM1RPsrO8BPG9CtKshY8gnhvbIJY1zyG4MkCfQgYWmKghJjGvySnr%2FuHmXVOWwY2hhLHiwJZh2A3F%2Fg%3D%3D&crl=c
Dougherty, D. (2017). Grounded Theory Research Methods. En The Blackwell Companion to Organizations (pp. 849-866). John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405164061.ch37
Earle, R., Littlewood, R., Nalatu, S., Leedie, F., Yusif, S., and Walker, J. L. (2026). “It Is All About Education, Isn’t It?”: Community Priorities for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adolescent Nutrition Program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(4), 461. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040461
Elliot, E. A., Opare-Djan, N., and Iddrisu, M. (2026). Community-Driven ESG Governance and Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Ghana: Evidence from Participatory Action Research. Sustainability, 18(6), 3139. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18063139
Feijoo, A. M. L. C. de. (2023). Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Method: From research in philosophy to psychology research. Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 33, e3337. https://www.scielo.br/j/paideia/a/kPF5XzQwg8cLMthXyKhZHCb/?format=html&lang=en
González, A. M. del C. V., Sánchez, R. M., Salazar, A. L., and Salazar, G. L. L. (2022). La entrevista cualitativa como técnica de investigación en el estudio de las organizaciones. New trends in qualitative research, 14. https://scielo.pt/scielo.php?pid=S2184-77702022000500004&script=sci_arttext
Goshu, K. G., Enyew, F. B., Debele, S. E., and Tarekegn, G. B. (2026). Smallholder Farmers’ Vulnerability to Climate Variability in Different Agro-Ecological Zones of Legambo District, North-Central Ethiopia. Agriculture, 16(7), 766. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16070766
Greenhalgh, T. (2025). Case studies: A guide for researchers, educators, and implementers. BMJ medicine, 4(1). https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:431ac32b-d06f-45cb-b1cc-7022ed78b8fb
Grimaldi, S., Fokkinga, S., and Ocnarescu, I. (2013). Narratives in design: A study of the types, applications and functions of narratives in design practice. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces, 201-210. https://doi.org/10.1145/2513506.2513528
Hajar, A. (2021). Theoretical foundations of phenomenography: A critical review. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(7), 1421-1436. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1833844
Hollweck, T. (2015). Case Study Research Design and Methods . Canadian journal of program evaluation, 30(1), 108-110. https://utppublishing.com/doi/pdf/10.3138/cjpe.30.1.108
Karlsson, A. V., Petersson, T., and Wickman, U. L. (2026). Factors Influencing Adherence to Self-Care in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review. Healthcare, 14(7), 941. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070941
Lalonde, H., Sawalmeh, E., Buhlman, R., Tadavich, S., Xie, Y., and Ling, J. (2026). Acceptability and Satisfaction of Eat My ABCs: A Mindful Eating Program for Preschoolers in Low-Income Families. Nutrients, 18(7), 1103. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071103
Lavarda, R., and Bellucci, C. F. (2022). Case study as a suitable method to research strategy as practice perspective. The Qualitative Report, 27(2), 539-555. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christiane-Bellucci/publication/358711195_Case_Study_as_a_Suitable_Method_to_Research_Strategy_as_Practice_Perspective/links/624b59a921077329f2f210b4/Case-Study-as-a-Suitable-Method-to-Research-Strategy-as-Practice-Perspective.pdf
Lim, W. M. (2025). What Is Qualitative Research? An Overview and Guidelines. Australasian Marketing Journal, 33(2), 199-229. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241264619
Mambwe, E., and Kalungwana, L. (2026). Female Journalists in Zambia and the Trauma and Toll of Reporting During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journalism and Media, 7(2), 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7020076
Margolin, V. (1992). Design history or design studies: Subject matter and methods. Design Studies, 13(2), 104-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694X(92)90250-E
Marti, P., Recupero, A., Lampus, F., and Baldino, N. (2026). Reimagining Corporate Food Museums as Living Labs: A Heritage-Driven Model for Sustainable, Inclusive, and ICT-Enhanced Food Innovation. Heritage, 9(4), 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9040145
Mathebula, L., Wiysonge, C. S., and Cooper, S. (2026). Understanding the Behavioural and Social Drivers of Childhood Vaccination Uptake Among Caregivers: A Qualitative Study in Cape Town, South Africa. Vaccines, 14(4), 320. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14040320
Meletiadou, E. (2026). Reflective Video Diaries as an Inclusive Digital Pedagogical Practice: A Cyclical Action-Research Study with Multilingual Undergraduate Students. Education Sciences, 16(4), 567. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040567
Meyer, R. (2026). ‘Now There Is Somebody I Can Go to, Although It’s an AI’: Evaluating Acceptance and Use of Obruche, a Pilot Chatbot to Prevent Power Asymmetries in Cross-Border Journalism Teams. Journalism and Media, 7(2), 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7020075
Miyata, H., and Kai, I. (2009). Reconsidering Evaluation Criteria for Scientific Adequacy in Health Care Research: An Integrative Framework of Quantitative and Qualitative Criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 8(1), 64-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690900800106
Moser, A., and Korstjens, I. (2018). Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis. European journal of general practice, 24(1), 9-18. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375091%4010.1080/tfocoll.2021.0.issue-practical-guidance-to-qualitative-research
Omeh, C. B. (2026). Impact of Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Assessment and Traditional Assessment on Web Design and Development in Computing Education. Education Sciences, 16(4), 501. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040501
Oranga, J., and Matere, A. (2023). Qualitative research: Essence, types and advantages. Open Access Library Journal, 10(12), 1-9. https://www.academia.edu/download/120090629/oalib.pdf
Palamaru, A.-L., Cumpăt, C. M., Vicol, M. C., Oprea, L., Zouri, M., Zouri, N., and Toader, E. (2026). Patient Perception and Ethical Trade-Offs in Resource Allocation: A Qualitative Study with Conceptual Simulation in a Romanian Municipal Hospital. Healthcare, 14(7), 903. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070903
Park, H. (2026). Turning Constraints into Adaptive Behavior: Secondary Pre-Service Teachers’ Bricolage and Agency in Physical Education. Behavioral Sciences, 16(4), 515. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16040515
Pathiraja, M. (2026). Craft as Pedagogy in Architectural Production: Labour, Technology and Non-Formal Learning. Social Sciences, 15(3), 211. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15030211
Pope, E. M., Brandão, C., Bower, K., and Verdugo-Castro, S. (2023). Qualitative research for interdisciplinary studies: Multiple methodologies for multiple disciplines. https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/157960/2/667301.pdf
Quispe, E. M., Cutimbo, N. C. C., Chaiña, F. F. C., Aparicio, V. L. S., Loaiza, Z. O., Mendoza, Z. J. C., Alvarez, R. S., and Medina, E. O. (2026). Female Microenterprise Entrepreneurship: Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Local Socioeconomic Development in Peru. World, 7(4), 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/world7040060
Randall, D., and Rouncefield, M. (2018). Ethnographic Approach to Design. En The Wiley Handbook of Human Computer Interaction (pp. 125-141). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118976005.ch7
Risquez, N. S., García, S. B., Huertas, E. H., Pérez, J. C., Salcedo, M. P. J., Donovan, M., Palacios, D. C., Bullón, E. B., and García, C. B. (2026). Understanding the Lived Experience and Bereavement of Caregivers of People with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Mixed-Methods Study Protocol. Healthcare, 14(7), 899. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070899
Scalcione, V. N. (2026). Visual Learning and Social Impact Assessment: Experimentation and Analysis of Outcomes in the School Context. Proceedings, 139(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2026139001
Schoch, K. (2020). Case study research. Research design and methods: An applied guide for the scholar-practitioner, 31(1), 245-258. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Subhash-Basu-3/post/How_do_i_determine_the_sample_size_for_a_study_looking_at_the_treatment_outcomes_of_mental_health_patients_in_a_community_house/attachment/5ebbae3eead4db0001551c21/AS:890646755811328@1589358142328/download/105275_book_item_105275.pdf
Senturk, H. E., Tanir, G., Erdogan Yuce, U., Karatut, A., and Karakaş, E. (2026). Attitudes Towards Sport in Early Adolescence: A Scale Adaptation Study for Sustainable Good Health and Well-Being. Healthcare, 14(7), 842. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070842
Shimizu, N. (2026). Experiences of Family Caregivers of Older Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease from Dialysis Initiation to End-of-Life Care: An Exploratory Qualitative Descriptive Study. Nursing Reports, 16(4), 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep16040108
Smith, J. A. (2011). Evaluating the contribution of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Health Psychology Review, 5(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2010.510659
Smith, J. A., and Osborn, M. (2015). Interpretative phenomenological analysis as a useful methodology for research on the lived experience of pain. British Journal of Pain, 9(1), 41-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/2049463714541642
Tomljenović, Z. (2026). Designing Visual Arts Education for Sustainability: An Arts-Based Approach to Fostering Ecological Awareness in Pre-Service Teachers. Sustainability, 18(6), 3131. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18063131
Ulvi, H., Arslan Selçuk, S., and Satoğlu, G. (2026). Smart Parking Systems as Data-Oriented Architectural Spaces: A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Urban Mobility. Sustainability, 18(7), 3229. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073229
White, R. E., and Cooper, K. (2022). Grounded Theory. En R. E. White and K. Cooper (Eds.), Qualitative Research in the Post-Modern Era: Critical Approaches and Selected Methodologies (pp. 339-385). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85124-8_9
Xenaki, M., Dimou, I., Drakaki, E., and Passas, I. (2026). SIRAF: From Sustainability Assessment Tools to Reflective Sustainability Implementation in Higher Education. Sustainability, 18(7), 3208. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073208
Xing, X., and Zheng, L. (2026). A Comprehensive Analysis of Urban Agriculture Theories from an Urban Spatial Perspective. Sustainability, 18(7), 3517. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073517
Zayas, F. M., Carrillo, A. C., and Estrada, J. L. C. (2026). Cooperative Oral Reading in Foreign Language Education: A Pathway to Inclusive Intercultural Competence. Education Sciences, 16(4), 542. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040542