Towards Mixed Methods Narrative Inquiry and Mixed Methods Narrative Research that are Transparent, Rigorous, Ethical, and Equitable (TREE)

This article examines the intersection of mixed methods research with both narrative inquiry and narrativeresearch—what we refer to as mixed methods narrative inquiry and mixed methods narrative research,respectively—proposing a novel meta-framework based on Transparency, Rigorousness, Equitableness, andEthicality (TREE). Through a comprehensive analysis, we explore the philosophical foundations, including socialconstructionism and social constructivism, that inform narrative inquiry and narrative research. A systematicreview of the literature that we conducted previously highlights the underutilization of mixed methods researchapproaches in narrative studies—revealing only 36 Scopus-indexed works that represent either mixed methodsnarrative inquiry or mixed methods narrative research over a 64-year period (1960-2004), which represents lessthan 1% of all narrative inquiry and narrative research studies published to date. The scant focus given toconducting mixed methods narrative inquiry and mixed methods narrative research studies underscores thenecessity of our call for an increased use of these research approaches that promote greater methodologicalintegration. By introducing a TREE-oriented meta-framework, underscored by a tree metaphor, we advocate forresearch approaches that fully integrate the depth of narrative inquiry and narrative research with the empiricalstrength of quantitative analysis. This article contributes to the scholarly conversation by offering a frameworkthat can help researchers navigate and enrich their understandings of the complexity of human experiences throughmixed methods narrative inquiry and mixed methods narrative research. The proposed approach aims to enhancethe richness, depth, and ethical considerations in narrative-based investigations, presenting a compelling case forthe symbiotic relationship between qualitative depth and quantitative clarity.