Reflexive thematic analysis
Develop patterns of shared meaning
Reflexive thematic analysis in the Braun and Clarke tradition develops patterns of shared meaning organised around central concepts. Themes are actively produced through theoretically informed engagement with data rather than discovered as objective facts. Coding and theme development are recursive, and researcher subjectivity is treated as an analytical resource. It differs from codebook and coding-reliability approaches to thematic analysis.
Use to interpret patterned meaning across a qualitative dataset when an explicit theoretical stance and sustained reflexive engagement are possible. Match the depth of the claim to the richness of the material.
Strengths
- Flexible across theoretical positions when used coherently
- Develops interpretative patterns beyond topic summaries
Limitations
- Flexibility can become incoherence without a clear stance
- Weak practice can mistake interview questions for themes
Know the boundary
Intercoder agreement, consensus coding and saturation are not default quality requirements for Braun and Clarke's reflexive approach.