ORCID
- Hannah Wheat: 0000-0003-3211-6254
- Tomasina Oh: 0000-0003-4662-3193
- Rod Sheaff: 0000-0002-7984-2627
- Richard Byng: 0000-0001-7411-9467
Abstract
Realist approaches to complex health care evaluations are increasingly used and recommended in national evaluationguidelines. However, there remains a paucity of researcher guidance on methods for elaborating and refining programmetheories throughout the stages of a realist evaluation project—from prospective theory development to feasibility work,to full evaluation. We present a step by step worked example of a realist approach to elaborating a programme theory for ahealth care intervention during the feasibility phase of the Dementia PersonAlised care Team. We explain how multiplequalitative methods can be applied to elaborate initial theory, supporting a shift away from a hypothetical explanation, towards a theory of how the model works in practice. We reflect on what worked well, and problems encountered, attending to both processes and the impact of working. Details are provided on how this approach can help enhance the likelihood of the intervention working in practice—through the application of new insights to interventionists’ training resources. We argue that coding to a framework constructed of ’If-Then’ initial programme theory statements enabled researchers to develop a realist analytic mindset and elaborated programme theory, ready for a fuller evaluation of the D-PACT intervention.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2025-08-25
Publication Title
The International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Volume
24
ISSN
1609-4069
Acceptance Date
2025-01-01
Deposit Date
2025-08-30
Funding
This study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research (RP-PG-0217-20004) and supported by the NIHR ARC Southwest Peninsula (PenARC). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Authors HW and TO are funded by a NIHR PenARC fellowship grant. SG receives support from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North Thames and Alzheimer’s Society and is funded through a Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
Keywords
dementia detection, realist evaluation, qualitative, feasability, programme theory
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
First Page
1
Last Page
12
Recommended Citation
Griffiths, S., Wheat, H., Morgan-Trimmer, S., Weston, L., Gude, A., Oh, T., Sheaff, R., & Byng, R. (2025) 'Using a Realist Informed Qualitative Approach to Elaborate Programme Theory: Experiences From the Feasibility Phase of the D-PACT Project.', The International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24, pp. 1-12. Available at: 10.1177/16094069251370659
