CHAPTER THREE
3.9 Validity and Reliability
The issue of reliability and validity in any research is an open discourse. Babbie and Mouton (2001: 118-125) discuses reliability and validity, and they conclude that utility of concepts justifies the meaning assigned to the concept, because social science
researchers need to agree or disagree on the methods used in measuring any variable.
Krueger (1988: 41) and Fay (1996: 136-140) argue that people are not always truthful and information can be intentional or unintentional. The possibility of individuals withholding necessary information and therefore the researcher deriving meaning from misinformed background leads to scepticism or relativism. Henning, et al (2003: 131) argues that validity depends on the good craftsmanship in an investigation. Validity in this sense means competence and precision in the research process. Such a process involved conceptualisation of the topic, research design, methodology and method, to presentation of research findings. According to Patton, (1990) qualitative research should meet certain criteria to address the issue of validity:
• The techniques and methods used to ensure the integrity, validity and accuracy of findings
• The researcher's experience, perspectives and qualifications brought to the study
• The paradigm orientation guiding the study
The character and person of the researcher has been discussed above. However as an instrument of data collection in a qualitative inquiry, the issues of objectivity and subjectivity raise concerns; so too the final interpretation and presentation of research findings. It is arguable that these concerns were reflected in the researcher's orientation and commitment. And all along the way the rigor of professionalism was prevalent by the constant reference to the research purpose. The study endeavoured to comprehend data categories, interpretation and explanations to present the views and experiences of shelter managers, staff and residents. This consistent effort served as a strong bond of the study's validity. Terre Blanche and Durrheim (1999: 128) discusses triangulation as the craftsmanship of a researcher collecting data from different and diverse sources this study elucidated information from various sources to reveal the views and experiences of shelter managers, staff and residents.
The trend and themes of their responses were differently categorized to reflect their views and experiences and the purposes of the study. The researcher triangulated the responses from the four shelter managers, staff and residents to validate the sequence of responses on a particular topic as the valid view of the respondents. The reasons
adaptable in addressing the concerns of shelters for children living and/or working on the streets (Henning, et at 2003: 129). The use of focus group interviews was to enhance the study's reliability and validity where the interaction between the researcher and subject formed the basis for reliability. Krueger (1988: 41) argues that validity is the degree to which the procedure really measures what it proposed to measure and continues to state that another way of testing the validity of focus groups is the interaction between participants; a good observer can notice when participants either are for or against any input of individual participants, and where the interviewer would pose a follow up question to clarify the position or issue. Krueger (1988: 42) further state that 'typically, focus groups have high face validity, which is due to large part to the believability of comments from participants'.
3.9.1 Pilot Study
A pilot study was undertaken in shelter 'E' prior to undertaking the study. The pilot study provided the opportunity to test the reliability and validity of:
• theoretical frame work
• research methods and tools
• time keeping and management, participants' punctuality and concentration in the interviews and focus group discussions
• whether the interpret (one of the participants) kept to the role assigned or deviated thus translating word for word from the mother tongue (Zulu) into English as a second language. Participants would node as sign of agreement or swing their heads to disagree with the interpreter
• the respondents' expectations, views, and experiences of the shelter service delivery and programs of interventions and reintegration.
The pilot study revealed that:
• Shelter manager together with the social worker were weary of the shelter having a large managerial and administrative structure. In their view, such a structure was not necessary because it would shift the focus from meeting the needs of children to the concentration on management and administration.
• Time management was a constant challenge because children had not learned to be disciplined to keep time and shelter's routines.
• Staff morale was high when motivated to concentrate on serving the children and meeting their needs
• After negotiating the participants consent to record their responses, staff and children were eager to be recorded. This came about when the researcher invited a volunteer among the participants to speak and say something short while testing the reliability of the tape recorder. The researcher replayed the recorded talk to the participants. As they listened to the talk of one of them, emotions of curiosity were evoked, they nodded, laughed and where the speaker was not audible the participants were dismayed and wanted the speaker to be loud and clear. That brief recording testing the tape recorder became an opportunity for the researcher to train participants how to project their voices and to speak clearly. The enthusiasm to be recorded provided impetus in the focus group discussions.
• Staff and children participants were interested with the researcher because though black African, did not speak Zulu as they expected. The researcher became the researched, they wanted to know more about where he comes from, how far is his the country and is it in Africa, what language people speak, what food people eat, and whether there are children living on the streets etc?
The process of allowing participants to ask the researcher questions and getting answers from the researcher made them feel recognized and equal in the construction of knowledge and changed their views on being subjects of interviews but participants. (Henning, 2003: 63-65). The researcher used the opportunity of answering the questions to communicate in a manner that built trust and rapport with the participants. This process took fifteen to twenty minutes. A time that the researcher found worth for the research project. The disadvantage of not knowing Zulu became the advantage and building block of trust and confidence.
• The tape recorder and other research tools were reliable and valid in measuring what the research sought to measure.
This approach was applied and followed in the study.