Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological approaches in oral language research published in brazilian speech-language pathology journals

Abstract

Introduction: The theme of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological approaches in Oral Language research is essential for understanding the context in which these studies are conducted concerning the production of scientific knowledge in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, based on the assumption that Oral Language is a phenomenon of vast biopsychosocial complexity. Objective: To investigate the occurrences of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodological approaches in Oral Language research published in Brazilian Speech-Language Pathology journals. Method: Sample: Publications in the journals Audiology Communication Research (ACR), CEFAC Magazine, Communication Disorders and Sciences (CoDAS), and Distúrbios da Comunicação Magazine (DIC) between January 2020 and March 2024. Procedure: Reading of titles and abstracts. After data collection, the authors acted as judges to compile the database; the data were transferred to a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet with the variables: title; authors; publication date; journal and methodological approaches. Results and discussion: N=129 publications; ACR: N=24; 6 (25%) quantitative, 15 (62.5%) qualitative, and 3 (12.5%) mixed. CEFAC: N=27; 15 (55.56%) quantitative; 10 (37.04%) qualitative; 2 (7.40%) mixed. CODAS: N=48; 34 (70.83%) quantitative; 4 (8.34%) qualitative; 10 (20.83%) mixed. DIC: N=30; 9 quantitative publications (30%), 16 qualitative (53.33%), 5 (16.67%) mixed. Quantitative research predominated in CEFAC and CODAS journals. In the ACR and DIC journals, qualitative studies predominated. Studies with a mixed approach appear with less representation in the analyzed period. Conclusion: The study points to significant methodological diversity, with variations in the proportions of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies, with a predominance of the quantitative approach.