Locating the lacunae: issues in recruiting male participants for interview in a sensitive subject

Hadley, Robin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4254-7648 (2015) Locating the lacunae: issues in recruiting male participants for interview in a sensitive subject. In: British Society of Gerontology 44th Annual Conference, 1 July 2015 - 3 July 2015, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

There is a growing recognition that there is a lack of research into childlessness generally. Similarly there is a paucity of material on men, ageing, and the impact of childlessness in later life on relationships, social interaction and networks, health and wellbeing. Dykstra and Hagestad (2007) suggest that older childless adults have been ‘rendered invisible in social science literature’ (p. 1275). Gerontological research has traditionally focussed on older women, because statistics indicated they lived longer, had high chronic co-morbidities, received more state benefits, and occupied the majority of the home care sector (Arber et al, 2003). Similarly most studies into involuntary childlessness have focussed on women with childless men generally excluded from the work that has taken place (Dykstra and Keizer, 2009). Most studies on involuntary childlessness are based on those that access infertility treatment with the figure for the number of the involuntarily childless difficult to gauge, as those who do not seek treatment are not recorded. IvC can result in levels of distress and bereavement for both men and women on a level as those suffering from serious medical conditions (Fisher, 2010). Research into involuntary childlessness is therefore of a sensitive nature. My research is based on in-depth interviews that explore the life experiences of 14 involuntarily childless men aged between 49 and 82. In this presentation I discuss the various methods I employed over 10 months in order to try and access this liminal group. Approaches used include flyers, leaflets, email, newspaper adverts, website, twitter, radio interview, business cards, personal networks, third parties, and support groups. The nature of power in the research process (Nunkoosing, 2005) and how that may manifest itself from the initial invitation to participate will be discussed.