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Table 1 The inductive thematic analysis used in this study

From: Barriers to progressing through a methadone maintenance treatment programme: perspectives of the clients in the Mid-West of Ireland’s drug and alcohol services

Phase 1 Data Familiarisation

This involved the main author, LM, reading the first transcript closely a number of times and checking the transcript back against the original audio recording for accuracy. Each review of the recordings provided some new understandings and LM began taking personal notes focusing on content, language use, context, and initial interpretative comments.

Phase 2 Initial Code Generalisation

LM coded interesting features of the data using the computer software NVivo for qualitative data administration. LM worked methodically through the full data set. She gave complete and uniform consideration to each item, tagging and naming selections of text with each data item.

Phase 3 Theme search

Merging and deviation of themes within the data were noted, leading to the development of the next phase, transforming codes into emergent themes. This involved LM working more with her notes rather than with the transcript and again inputting findings into the NVivo software package.

Phase 4 Theme review

LM firstly ensured all coded data extracts formed a coherent pattern and then progressed to considering the validity of each individual theme

Phase 5 Theme naming

LM scanned for links between emergent themes, assembling them according to conceptual similarities. Each cluster was then allocated a descriptive label. Using NVivo allowed for short descriptions of themes and subthemes, using links to appropriate passages in the transcript.

Phase 6 Final Report

LM produced a report of the analysis undertaken.