Evaluating the contribution of interpretative phenomenological analysis
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a review of studies employing interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) obtained from three of the major databases: web of science, medline and psychinfo. Between 1996 and 2008, 293 papers presenting empirical IPA studies were published. Trends over time are presented. This is followed by a categorisation of the content area of that corpus. The biggest specific area of research within IPA is illness experience, it forming the subject of nearly a quarter of the corpus. The paper then describes a guide for evaluating IPA research which is used to assess the illness experience papers. Detailed summaries are provided of the papers rated as good. These summaries describe the substantive findings as well as the markers of high quality. The paper finishes with a summary of core features of high-quality IPA work.
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IPA does not favour a specific phenomenological position, opting instead to integrate phenomenological foundations from Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Sartre within empirical settings.
“Developed as a speci fi cally psychological experiential research methodology by Jonathan Smith (Smith, 2011), IPA does not favour a speci fi c phenomenological position, opting instead to integrate phenomenological foundations from Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Sartre within empirical settings.”
From Quality Criteria: General and Specific Guidelines for Qualitative Approaches in Psychology Research. A Concise Guide for Novice Researchers and Reviewers (2024) · cites this paper as Smith, 2011
Three guidelines were used to ensure that the methods employed were appropriate and coherent to the research questions: four principles for good qualitative research [44], Smith's assessment tool for quality in IPA studies [45], and four quality indicators for IPA research [46].
“Three guidelines were used to ensure that the methods employed were appropriate and coherent to the research questions: four principles for good qualitative research [44], Smith’s assessment tool for quality in IPA studies [45], and four quality indicators for IPA research [46].”
IPA is particularly well suited for examining individual subjective experiences within their contextual and phenomenological dimensions.
“IPA isparticularly well suited for examining individual subjective experiences within their contextual and phenomenological dimensions”
From A Study of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Digital Educational Technologies: a Qualitative Analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Smith 2011
Cites
Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology.
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Self-citationDickson, A., Knussen, C., & Flowers, P. (2008) · Psychology & Health · doi:10.1080/08870440701757393 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
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Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021) · Counselling and Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1002/capr.12360 · Cited by 3,198 · see citing works
Mosewich, A. D., Crocker, P. R. E., & Kowalski, K. C. (2014) · Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health · doi:10.1080/2159676x.2013.766810 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of burnout and recovery in elite soccer coaches
Lundkvist, E., Gustafsson, H., Hjälm, S., & Hassmén, P. (2012) · Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health · doi:10.1080/2159676x.2012.693526 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Widanaralalage, B. K., Hine, B. A., Murphy, A. D., & Murji, K. (2022) · Victims & Offenders · doi:10.1080/15564886.2022.2069898 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
“Guideline Criteria Yardley (2000) Sensitivity to Context Commitment and Rigor Transparency and Coherence Impact and Importance J. A. Smith (2011) Adherence to IPA Philosophical Principles Transparency and Coherence in the Analysis Sufficient Sampling from the Corpus Keeping Focused and Offering…”
BackgroundAn examination of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
Oxley, L. (2016) · Educational and Child Psychology · doi:10.53841/bpsecp.2016.33.3.55 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Finlay, K. A., Peacock, S., & Elander, J. (2018) · Psychology & Health · doi:10.1080/08870446.2017.1421188 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Cena, E., Brooks, J., Day, W., Goodman, S., Rousaki, A., Ruby-Granger, V., & Seymour-Smith, S. (2024) · International Journal of Qualitative Methods · doi:10.1177/16094069241282843 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
“Developed as a speci fi cally psychological experiential research methodology by Jonathan Smith (Smith, 2011), IPA does not favour a speci fi c phenomenological position, opting instead to integrate phenomenological foundations from Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Sartre within empirical…”
Bentzen, M., Kenttä, G., & Lemyre, P.-N. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17145196 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Meanings of "acceptance" for patients with long-term pain when starting rehabilitation
Biguet, G., Nilsson Wikmar, L., Bullington, J., Flink, B., & Löfgren, M. (2016) · Disability and Rehabilitation · doi:10.3109/09638288.2015.1076529 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Understanding the phenomenology of borderline personality disorder from the patient’s perspective.
Black, G., Murray, J., & Thornicroft, G. (2014) · Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.3109/09638237.2013.869570 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Lundkvist-Houndoumadi, I., Thastum, M., & Nielsen, K. (2016) · Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1359104515615641 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Reconnecting the mind and body: A pilot study of developing compassion for persistent pain
Parry, S. L., & Malpus, Z. (2017) · Patient Experience Journal · doi:10.35680/2372-0247.1175 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Glassey, R., Hardcastle, S. J., O'Connor, M., Ives, A., kConFab Investigators, & Saunders, C. (2018) · Psycho-Oncology · doi:10.1002/pon.4558 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
The impact of neurological disability and sensory loss on mindfulness practice
Finlay, K. A., Hearn, J. H., & Chater, A. (2022) · Disability and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1080/09638288.2021.1887946 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
van Leeuwen, N. M., Boonstra, M., Huizinga, T. W. J., Kaptein, A. A., & de Vries‐Bouwstra, J. K. (2020) · Musculoskeletal Care · doi:10.1002/msc.1453 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Finlay, K. A., Hearn, J. H., & Chater, A. (2021) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-021-00628-0 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Widanaralalage, B. K., Jennings, S., Dando, C. J., & Mackenzie, J.-M. (2025) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-025-02706-z · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“Three guidelines were used to ensure that the methods employed were appropriate and coherent to the research questions: four principles for good qualitative research [44], Smith’s assessment tool for quality in IPA studies [45], and four quality indicators for IPA research [46].”
Geng, G., Midford, R., Buckworth, J., & Kersten, T. (2017) · Student Success · doi:10.5204/ssj.v8i1.363 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
A Study of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Digital Educational Technologies: a Qualitative Analysis
Bushina, E. V., Karimova, A. M., & Fakhretdinova, A. P. (2026) · Population and Economics · doi:10.3897/popecon.10.e149104
“The study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Busygina 2009; Alase 2017; Smith 2011) to explore teachers’ attitudes toward digitalization.”
Spikol, E., McGlinchey, E., & Armour, C. (2026) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs16061007 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“IPA is a qualitative approach providing detailed examinations of lived experience (Gill, 2014) by utilizing an idiographic focus offering insights into how a given person, in a given context, makes sense of a given phenomenon (Larkin et al., 2006; Smith, 2011).”
- Authors
- Smith, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Smith, Jonathan A.
- ORCID
- Smith, Jonathan A.
- Venue
- Health Psychology Review
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-10-04
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 9-27
- ISSN
- 1743-7199 (ISSN-L)
- 1743-7202
- OpenAlex
- W2157023976
- Cited by
- 1,635
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 100 · 2025: 143 · 2024: 131 · 2023: 139 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 133 · 2020: 126 · 2019: 161 · 2018: 125 · 2017: 110 · 2016: 110 · 2015: 80 · 2014: 70 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 130.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
- BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- British Psychological Society
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
- Keywords
- interpretative phenomenological analysis, research quality assessment, illness experience, qualitative research methodology, research trends, methodological quality criteria
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