¶ … grounded theory and phenomenology differ in how the data is treated (Creswell, Hanson, Plano, and Morales, 2007, p. 248-255). While both collect information from a large number of participants, grounded theory results in the development of a theoretical model based on the data. This model is then tested for its ability to predict a specific outcome. By comparison, researchers using a phenomenological approach try to identify common experiences among the study subjects. An example of a grounded theory approach would be researchers examining how therapists use cognitive-behavioral therapy when treating victims of trauma. One or more outcome measures would typically be identified, such as patient quality of life improvements. The goal would be identifying common factors that increase the efficacy of treatment, thereby validating the model. By comparison, a phenomenological study design would collect the experiences of therapists and patients in order to identify the essence of a successful treatment approach. Essentially, researchers using grounded theory would...

Qualitative data can in turn put these results into perspective from the vantage point of therapists' and patients' experiences, thereby helping researchers and research consumers better understand the significance and utility of findings.
A recent study examined the efficacy of group music therapy for patients suffering from PTSD (Carr et al., 2012). This treatment approach was of interest because it had shown promise in reducing symptom severity in patients who did not benefit from behavioral-cognitive therapy. The quantitative component of the study involved assessing the severity of PTSD symptoms before and after 10 weeks of treatment. The…