Development of a Reporting Guideline for Trochim’s Concept Mapping

Reporting guidelines are intended to enhance the quality and transparency of reporting different research methods. Trochim’s concept mapping is a six-phase, participatory mixed-method approach to develop a deep understanding of complex constructs. Currently, there is no reporting guideline for concept mapping. Following the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) network’s process, we undertook a systematic review and concept mapping study to develop a reporting guideline for Trochim’s concept mapping. This paper reports our concept mapping study that aims to identify candidate items that, along with our previously reported systematic review, informed a reporting guideline for Trochim concept mapping. Stakeholders (researchers, methodological experts, academic peer-reviewers, and statisticians) who had published or reviewed Trochim concept mapping studies were identified and invited to participate. Thirty-two stakeholders participated in the brainstorming phase of the concept mapping process and generated 96 discrete statements. Twenty-four participants contributed to the prioritisation and clustering phase. The final concept map included 11 clusters. Clusters were relatively small and positioned in a circle around the edge of the map, suggesting each was of equal importance and conceptually discreet. During the utilisation phase, we combined findings from our concept mapping work and systematic review (of the quality of reporting concept mapping research) to draft a reporting guideline for Trochim concept mapping research. The draft was reviewed by eight stakeholders (who had participated in our concept mapping study) to check the completeness and clarity of expression. The final checklist (the ConMapT) has 27 items organised under 14 headings. The guideline will be made freely available via the EQUATOR network. Registration: The study protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) before recruiting the first study participant. The EQUATOR network has listed the study as a guideline under development.