Supporting data for “Interpretative phenomenological analysis and Q methodology: Experience, interpretation, and gender differences in sources of Hong Kong primary school students’ reading self-efficacy”

My study employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to examine primary four students' experiences and interpretations of the four sources of self-efficacy, their differences between high, medium, and low levels of self-efficacy. Additionally, it uses Q methodology to explore the similarities and differences in the emic experiences between girls and boys. In the IPA study, there were 37 participants involved. The Q methodology included a larger sample of 110 participants, comprising 66 girls and 44 boys.To achieve this, the study combines:

1. Semi-structured interviews to delve deeper into students' subjective worlds and understand their lived experiences.
2. Questionnaires to categorize students into high, medium, and low levels of self-efficacy.
3. Q-grids for students to selectively rank statements based on their life experiences, allowing for the identification of shared patterns and differences.

Thus, this research incorporated multiple data collection methods, such as audio recordings, interview transcripts, and Q-grid rankings of statements.