
Abstract Approaches to integrating mixed methods into medical research are gaining popularity. To get a holistic understanding of the effects of behavioural interventions, we investigated religious fasting using a triangulation of quantitative, qualitative, and natural language analysis. We analysed an observational study of Bahá'í fasting in Germany using a between-method triangulation that is based on links between qualitative and quantitative analyses. Individual interviews show an increase in the mindfulness and well-being categories. Sentiment scores, extracted from the interviews through natural language processing, positively correlate with questionnaire outcomes on quality of life (WHO-5: Spearman correlation r = 0.486, p = 0.048). Five questionnaires contribute to the first principal component capturing the spectrum of mood states (50.1% explained variance). Integrating the findings of the between-method triangulation enabled us to converge on the underlying effects of this kind of intermittent fasting. Trial registration NCT03443739
Male, Adult, Original Paper, Surveys and Questionnaires [MeSH] ; Female [MeSH] ; Islam/psychology [MeSH] ; Adult [MeSH] ; Fasting/psychology [MeSH] ; Humans [MeSH] ; Intermittent fasting ; Quality of Life/psychology [MeSH] ; Triangulation ; Middle Aged [MeSH] ; Mindfulness/methods [MeSH] ; Religious fasting ; Mindfulness ; Qualitative Research [MeSH] ; Male [MeSH] ; Germany [MeSH] ; Original Paper ; Natural Language Processing [MeSH] ; Mixed methods, Fasting, Middle Aged, Islam, Germany, Surveys and Questionnaires, Quality of Life, Humans, Female, Mindfulness, Qualitative Research, Natural Language Processing
Male, Adult, Original Paper, Surveys and Questionnaires [MeSH] ; Female [MeSH] ; Islam/psychology [MeSH] ; Adult [MeSH] ; Fasting/psychology [MeSH] ; Humans [MeSH] ; Intermittent fasting ; Quality of Life/psychology [MeSH] ; Triangulation ; Middle Aged [MeSH] ; Mindfulness/methods [MeSH] ; Religious fasting ; Mindfulness ; Qualitative Research [MeSH] ; Male [MeSH] ; Germany [MeSH] ; Original Paper ; Natural Language Processing [MeSH] ; Mixed methods, Fasting, Middle Aged, Islam, Germany, Surveys and Questionnaires, Quality of Life, Humans, Female, Mindfulness, Qualitative Research, Natural Language Processing
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