Table 2 Strategies for enhancing trustworthiness

Credibility

• Adopted purposeful sampling to ensure information-rich cases were selected;

• Had a prolonged engagement with study participants to build trust and rapport and to understand the context;

• Used semi-structured interviews to allow participants to freely express their perspectives;

• Used data saturation to ensure adequate data were collected;

• Read data repeatedly to obtain immersion; refined and revised codes, subcategories, and categories until obtaining an intended depth of insight

Dependability

• Used an interview guide to ensure similar questions were asked to all participants;

• Transcribed verbatim immediately after each interview session;

• Discussed regularly within the research team data collection and analysis

Confirmability

• Set up an audit trail by documenting key research stages (e.g., development of an interview guide, sample selection, transcripts, and draft reports) and evolvement of researchers’ thoughts (e.g., memos of data analysis and reflective thoughts);

• Provided participants with the option to review the transcript of their interview

Transferability

• Provided thick descriptions of the study context, participant characteristics, and the process of data collection and analysis;

• Reported the findings together with illustrative quotes from participants

Reflexivity

• Recorded reflective thoughts in field notes and research memos;

• Listened attentively and respectively during interviews;

• Analysed the data authentically with an open mind