Management of Turning Points and Transitions, Article Critique Example

Research Problem and Significant Aspects

This journal article by B. Rasmussen, B. O’Connell, P. Dunning, and H. Cox, examines the problems that young women with Type 1 diabetes experience when “facing turning points and undergoing transitions” in the lives. Not surprisingly, young females with Type 1 diabetes have identified as the “transition into motherhood” as being the most difficult and stressful. Thus, the aim of the authors is to develop a theory on how these young women manage important turning points and life transitions while afflicted with Type 1 diabetes (2007, p. 266-267).

Literature Review

This article does not contain a literature review; however, the authors do mention more than once several important sources that support their thesis, such as Basics of Grounded Theory Analysis (1992) by B.G. Glaser, and “A Developmental Perspective on the Challenge of Diabetes Education and Care during the Young Adult Period” (2004) by B.J. Anderson and H.A. Wolpert.

Research Design and Research Tradition

As explained by the authors, the research design for this article is based on grounded theory that was used to address the study objectives (2007, p. 267). Included in the research design are a sampling of twenty women that volunteered for the study; a sampling procedure; data collection and analysis; and rigor and credibility. Also, like many similar studies done on diabetes and how it affects the lives of those who suffer from it, this article was written in the traditional style with clearly delineated sections, subsections, and a full reference list. The greatest strength of this article is based on how well it explores a rather complicated topic that apparently has not been studied in-depth in the past by other researchers. In addition, the only area of this study that could be improved upon is the inclusion of a literature review.

References

Rasmussen, B., O’Connell, B., Dunning, P., & Cox, H. (2007). Young women with type 1 diabetes’ management of turning points and transitions. Qualitative Health Research, (17)31: 300-310.