Grounded theory-based research within exercise psychology: A critical review

This article critically reviews the current body of grounded theory research within exercise psychology. Previous evidence has questioned the quality of grounded theory research within this academic domain. Guidelines for assessing grounded theory research are presented based on the common defining characteristics of the methodology and other published recommendations for assessing qualitative research. The review identified 21 articles that report on grounded theory studies conducted between 1999 and 2008. Findings comprise two sections: Summary demographic characteristics and descriptive sample characteristics relating to the proposed assessment criteria. Results demonstrate that within exercise psychology, grounded theory is an increasingly popular methodological approach. However, many studies demonstrate a poor understanding of the grounded theory methodology or fail to present an adequate account of the research process. To further legitimise grounded theory as a form of enquiry within exercise psychology and to encourage greater research rigour in all grounded theory applications, it is crucial that both authors and reviewers understand the tenets of this approach and the limitations associated with a number of previous studies.