Qualitative and Quantitative Research: an ecological approach

The article describes an investigation among young people with an ecological perspective, using a sequential mixed methods design in accordance with the Tashakkori typology (Tashakkori & Teddlie 2003). The qualitative research considered the orientation of young people towards ac-tion in their local communities, focusing on the way they plan so as to promote personal and collective empowering actions in their local contexts. Then a quantitative investigation collected data on specific factors concerning the local contexts and the future planning of young people. The primary concern of the ecological approach – the theoretical perspective of this research – is to determine the possible benefits obtained by the beneficiaries of the research (Rappaport 1990). In a two-phase design (Creswell 1994), the study availed itself of qualitative methods to explore the phenomenon and understand the participants’ different constructions of their life experiences, followed by a quantitative method for the measurement and generalization of the findings based on the collection of data on large samples. The shift from one research method to the next is underlined so as to reveal its advantages in generating new ideas and the generaliza-tion of the results.