Hearing the unheard
An integrative review on telephone interviewing in public safety research
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12645481 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Micheal P Taylor (0000-0003-4959-2572, Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland , ,, corresponding author), Rosemary Ricciardelli (0000-0002-0905-8968, Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland , ,) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 1-15 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Research Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1443-9883 • E-ISSN: 1448-0980 |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1108/qrj-03-2025-0086 |
| OpenAlex | W4414308971 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 74 |
Purpose In the current article, we explore how telephone interviewing can enhance disclosure among public safety personnel (PSP), a population often constrained by stigma, institutional barriers and confidentiality concerns. We address a gap in qualitative methods literature by centering voice and psychological safety in PSP research. Design/methodology/approach Through an integrative review and reflexive methodological analysis, the study synthesizes relevant literature on telephone interviewing, focusing on its application in PSP contexts. Thirteen epistemological considerations are organized thematically, and grounded in principles of methodological credibility, researcher positionality, adaptability and alignment with PSP communication preferences. Findings Telephone interviews reduce visual bias, foster disinhibition and may enhance/inhibit psychological safety. The method is particularly effective for reticent or hidden populations. Such circumstances suggest the method supports rich, candid engagement, offering both practical and ethical advantages in sensitive occupational settings. Research limitations/implications This reflexive review offers rigor but is not systematic and primarily focused on the North American context. It does not extensively engage with emerging modalities such as VoIP or smartphone-based interviews, which merit further investigation. Originality/value The study offers a novel framework for assessing the trade-offs of telephone interviewing in PSP research and applied the concept of disinhibition and emotional distance as a key consideration in this form of qualitative inquiry. We contribute original insights into how telephone methods can ethically and effectively access stigmatized voices in hidden populations, particularly PSP inhibited from speaking candidly
Conversation · Grounded theory · Interpersonal communication · Interview · Phone · Poison control · Qualitative research · Reflexivity · Thematic analysis · Vulnerability (computing · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Team Dynamics and Performance
The Persistent Prison?
Mental health stigma and barriers to mental health care for first responders
Perspective—Tacit Knowledge and Knowledge Conversion
Conducting Intensive Interviews Using Email
Mental Disorder Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel in Canada
Conducting qualitative interviews by telephone
Is there a bias against telephone interviews in qualitative research?
Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design
Literature review as a research methodology
A typology of reviews
Communication in Telehealth
Policy guidelines and recommendations on AI use in teaching and learning
Putting a face to a name
Correctional Officer Culture in Canada
Inside Interviewing
Sensory Penalities
The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory
Reflection/Commentary on a Past Article
The telephone medium and semi‐structured interviews
Canadian Public Safety Personnel and Occupational Stressors
Invisible ghosts of care and penality
Society Wants to See a True Victim”
The smartphone as a tool for mobile communication research
Not in touch’
They call us for everything’
Exploring culture from a distance
Beyond the In-Person Interview? How Interview Quality Varies Across In-person, Telephone, and Skype Interviews
In this line of work, boundaries are important”
The next best thing to being there
Telephone Versus Face-to-Face Interviews
Triangulation 2.0
Obtaining sensitive information from a wary population
Playing the system
Utilizing Asynchronous Email Interviewing for Qualitative Research Among Multiple Participant Groups
A Protocol for the Comparison of Telephone and In-Person Interview Modalities
Rigid Flexibility
Interviewing by Telephone
Duration, Dominance and Depth in Telephone and Face-to-Face Interviews
The Use of Videoconferencing as a Medium for the Qualitative Interview
Am I not answering your questions properly?' Clarification, adequacy and responsiveness in semi-structured telephone and face-to-face interviews
Using the telephone for narrative interviewing
Collecting data from elites and ultra elites
Comparing Telephone and Face-to-Face Qualitative Interviewing
With Constructivist Grounded Theory You Can't Hide
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |