Using mixed methods in research related to work and family

The study ofwork and family is an inherently interdisciplinary field that draws on a wide variety of theories and methods. Given the complexity of the topics addressed. it is hardly surprising that researchers have pursued it with both qualitative Ce.g., [ocus groups) and quantitative Ce.g., large-scale survey) methods. Qualitative designs can provide more contextual information on the nature and dynamics of work and family relationships that are not easily captured using solely traditional quantitative methods. Nonetheless, a content analysis of work and family research in the industrial/organizational and organizational behavior literature revealed that between 1980 and 2002. only 20 out of 190 studies (or 10.5%) included qualitative data (Eby, Casper. Lockwood, Bordeaux, & Brinley, 2005).