Table 2.
Proposed framework of Intergenerational Storytelling (IGS) research data elements
| Data Element | Example |
|---|---|
| 1) Participant demographics (reported for each age cohort)a | |
| Number of participants | Younger cohort (n = 20); older cohort (n = 14) |
| Chronological age (mean, median, range in years) | E.g., “Younger cohort ranged in age from 12–18 years old (mean 16.5, median 16). Older cohort ranged from 65–75 years old (mean 71.7, median 70).” |
| Gender | Offer multi-select options beyond male/female (e.g., they/their pronouns) |
| Racial and ethnic identity | National research entities often have best practices guidelines for collecting race and ethnicity data, which differ based on geographical context |
| Location of residence | Urban, rural, community-dwelling, institutionalized settings (such as university/college residence or nursing homes/other clinical settings) |
| 2) Study design and methods | |
| Purpose and objectives | Include concise statement of research question, rationale, objectives/aims, and hypothesized outcomes |
| Geographical location of intervention site | E.g., Country, province/state, city. Recommend including profile of local and national health care access and funding (publicly funded, insurance-based, etc.) |
| Participant dyad structure | E.g., Postsecondary student/older adult; child/older adult; youth/E(e)lder; sex based. Also state kin-proximity and rationale for chosen dyad structure |
| Storytelling media | E.g., Oral, written, digital |
| Storytelling method | E.g., Prescribed method (life review, reminiscence) or less structured formats |
| IGS as research method vs retrospective outcome | Rationale to why IGS is posited as an a priori research approach, or the outcome of another activity (emergent intergenerational encounter) |
| Analysis approach and instruments | E.g., Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods. Describe assessment tools/instruments |
| Intersectional analysis | E.g., Intragroup differences (Crenshaw 1991) that may exist within age cohorts introduced by factors such as race, class, and gender |
| Key words and concepts | E.g., Young(er), old(er), generation, age-based cohort names (for example, youth or E(e)lder), intergenerational, storytelling, intergenerational storytelling |
aCollected data should, above all, reflect and respect the preferences of the participant community under study. Not every design and data element, particularly regarding participant demographics, may be appropriate or necessary to collect. Researchers are advised to reflect on the purpose of requesting identifying information and allow participants to self-describe and/or decline questions regarding personal identity.