Exploring the Four Core Philosophical Assumptions in Qualitative Research
Understanding the Four Core Philosophical Assumptions
The four underlying philosophical approaches when using qualitative research are ontological, epistemological, axiological, and methodological (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Depending on the type of research, any assumption can be employed and utilized. The ontological assumption can be used when the aim is to analyze multiple views of reality (Creswell & Poth, 2018). The combination of such views on a given topic is important as it can influence the outcome and the findings. The epistemological assumption is employed when the researcher seeks an inner viewpoint that entails being in the field with the participants (Creswell & Poth, 2018). By engaging oneself within the research environment, the researcher immerses oneself in their participant and environment, resulting in a strong outcome with a higher identifiable outcome. An axiological assumption is made when the researcher has a bias or value that can impact the study (Creswell & Poth, 2018). In qualitative research, this assumption is a fundamental element, allowing the reader to understand how the researcher's value and biases influence their conclusion and findings. Finally, methodological assumption assists the researcher in understanding techniques and the setting of their study (Creswell & Poth, 2018). This assumption implies that depending on the data-gathering procedure, the researcher may need to adjust or modify the procedure or outcome after the beginning of the study.
While this article is written from a qualitative research perspective, these assumptions also have practical value for understanding relationships. Couples often struggle not only because of what happened, but because each partner interprets what happened through a different emotional reality, set of values, and way of making meaning. This is one reason qualitative research can be useful for therapists, couples, and anyone interested in relationship resilience.
Personal Perspective on remote work
As a licensed mental health counselor, while working remotely, I developed a fascination with understanding the link between work and relationships, particularly focused on remote work, which has been increasingly popular after the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an ongoing shift from on-site work to remote work (Howe & Menges, 2022). This transition has also resulted in companies modifying internal policies further and encouraging remote positions (Žaja & Radulović, 2022). My research area of interest is related to understanding the effect of remote work on relationships and its impact on job satisfaction.
There is a growing body of research related to job modality, job satisfaction, and relationships. However, the link between these subjects has been neglected, and further research is needed to understand how remote work can influence not only job satisfaction but also how it can play a role in relationship resilience. I hypothesize that individuals who are currently working from home have higher job satisfaction and a stronger relationship with their partner compared to individuals who work on-site. This research can provide an avenue for companies who seek to better understand the impact and the quality of service that their employees are providing and modify their procedures and policies. It also can be used as a path to promote individuals who are seeking a career. This shift can also be a path to provide an opportunity for couples to enhance relationship resilience (Weber et al., 2023).
Remote work can also change the emotional rhythm of a relationship. When work and home share the same physical space, couples may have fewer transitions between professional stress and relational connection. A partner may leave a difficult meeting and immediately enter a conversation about parenting, finances, intimacy, or household responsibilities. Without clear boundaries, work stress can become relationship stress.
For some couples, working from home increases closeness and flexibility. For others, it creates tension around space, attention, emotional availability, and the division of responsibilities. These differences make remote work an important topic for couples therapy, especially when partners feel disconnected but cannot clearly identify why.
Case Study: Remote Work and Its Impact on Relationships
In this particular study, results can be utilized in accordance with the anthological assumption by creating a survey and asking individuals who are working in a remote environment or on-site regarding their circumstances, job satisfaction, and relationship resilience—understanding the impact of career and gathering the necessary information needed to verify if working remotely can influence job satisfaction and relationship resilience. An ontological approach could support various viewpoints to form a comprehensive understanding of the link between remote work, job satisfaction, and relationship resilience.
A relationship example
Imagine a couple where one partner works remotely and the other works outside the home. The remote partner may feel isolated, overstimulated, or unable to separate from work. The partner who leaves the home may assume the remote partner has more flexibility and should manage more household tasks. Over time, both partners may feel unseen.
From an ontological perspective, each partner is living in a different reality. From an epistemological perspective, each partner is drawing conclusions from limited information. From an axiological perspective, each partner may hold different values about work, fairness, rest, and responsibility. From a methodological perspective, therapy offers a structured way to explore these differences rather than repeat the same argument.
Research Hypothesis: Remote Work and Relationship Resilience
From the epistemological perspective, an in-depth interview is an essential aspect of the research. The primary focus would be to further understand the experience of remote and on-site work. By incorporating myself in the participant's environment, whether that would be through video calls or home visits, I could gain a better understanding of the nuance that affects job satisfaction and relationship resilience. Also, as a remote therapist, I can include my perspective within the study.
From the Axiological perspective, it is important to acknowledge the biases and values that may influence both the analysis conducted and the interpretations; as a mental health counselor with an interest in the area, I must acknowledge these biases. By doing this, I will not only provide credibility to the research but also allow for a better understanding of the impact of remote work as the reader can better understand the contacts within the conclusions I try to hypothesize.
Why qualitative research matters in relationships and couples therapy
Qualitative research is not only useful in academic settings. It also helps us understand how people make meaning, experience conflict, and interpret the same relationship differently. In couples therapy, two partners may describe the same argument, event, or emotional injury in very different ways. An ontological lens helps us recognize that each partner may be living inside a different version of reality.
This matters because relationship repair often begins when both partners can slow down, listen to each other’s experience, and understand the assumptions shaping their reactions.
How the four assumptions show up in couples therapy
Ontological assumptions: In couples therapy, partners often hold different realities about the same situation. One partner may experience distance as rejection, while the other experiences it as stress or exhaustion.
Epistemological assumptions: Therapy asks how each partner knows what they know. Are they responding to what was said, what was implied, or what they feared was happening?
Axiological assumptions: Every person brings values, expectations, family history, and bias into a relationship. Naming these values can reduce blame and increase understanding.
Methodological assumptions: In therapy, the method matters. Some couples benefit from structured communication exercises, while others need deeper emotional reflection before problem-solving can work.
What this means for couples
In a relationship, two people can experience the same event in very different ways. One partner may see a late reply as distance or rejection, while the other may see it as a normal response to work stress. One partner may believe they are asking for connection, while the other hears criticism or pressure.
This is where the assumptions used in qualitative research become clinically useful. They remind us that relationship conflict is rarely only about facts. It is also about meaning, interpretation, values, emotional history, and the method each partner uses to communicate.
In couples therapy, slowing down these layers can help partners move from blame to understanding. Instead of asking only “Who is right?” therapy often asks, “How did each person come to understand this moment the way they did?”
Conclusion: The Significance of Philosophical Assumptions in Qualitative Research
Finally, the methodological assumption in this field can be multifaceted, involving not only qualitative but also quantitative methods. The survey may provide quantitative data about career satisfaction and the quality of relationships as a qualitative method, such as interviews, that can provide a deeper understanding of why and how remote work can affect such areas; the research method may also need to be adapted as the study progresses; particularly, in the face of unexpected finding or challenges.
All philosophical assumptions can provide strong frameworks for conducting my research, especially in the field of mental health. These assumptions can create multi-dimensional understandings to help gather diverse perspectives, acknowledging bias and mythological flexibility as they are involved in exploring complex issues.
How couples therapy can help
Couples therapy can help partners identify the meanings, assumptions, and emotional patterns underneath recurring conflict. Rather than focusing only on the surface disagreement, therapy creates a structured space to understand how each partner experiences the relationship.
If you are interested in how these ideas apply to relationships, read more about my approach to couples therapy in Cambridge, MA.
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Qualitative research helps us understand how people make meaning from their experiences. In couples therapy, this matters because partners often interpret the same event differently. Exploring those interpretations can reduce blame and increase understanding.
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Yes. Remote work can affect boundaries, emotional availability, household roles, stress, and communication. For some couples it increases flexibility, while for others it creates new tension or emotional distance.
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Relationship resilience is a couple’s ability to recover from stress, conflict, disconnection, or change. It includes communication, emotional safety, flexibility, trust, and the ability to repair after difficult moments.
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Couples may benefit from therapy when they keep having the same argument, feel emotionally distant, struggle with trust, avoid difficult conversations, or feel that stress from work or life is affecting the relationship.
References
John W. Creswell and Cheryl N. Poth (2018) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). Sage. ISBN: 9781506330204.
Howe, L. C., & Menges, J. I. (2022). Remote work mindsets predict emotions and productivity in home office: A longitudinal study of knowledge workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Human-Computer Interaction, 37(6), 481-507. 10.1080/07370024.2021.1987238
Weber, D. M., Lavner, J. A., & Beach, S. R. H. (2023). Couples' communication quality differs by topic. Journal of Family Psychology, 10.1037/fam0001111
Žaja, R., & Radulović, A. H. (2022). Satisfaction with working from home during COVID-19 pandemic. Liječnički Vjesnik, 144(11-12), 365-368. 10.26800/LV-144-11-12-2
