Inclusiveness Plus Mixed Methods: An Innovative Research Design on Transnational Practices of Older Adults

Abstract This paper assesses the challenges and the benefits of 2 methodological approaches for improving the study of transnational mobilities of older adults: mixed methods and inclusiveness. The first approach refers to a mixed-methods research design based on surveys and qualitative interviews....

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:The Gerontologist 2022-07, Vol.62 (6), p.816-822
Hauptverfasser: Tomás, Livia, Ravazzini, Laura
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:Volltext
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Abstract This paper assesses the challenges and the benefits of 2 methodological approaches for improving the study of transnational mobilities of older adults: mixed methods and inclusiveness. The first approach refers to a mixed-methods research design based on surveys and qualitative interviews. We share our experience of conducting a “fully mixed-concurrent-equal-status-design” research project, for which we collected data through quantitative surveys on transnational practices of people aged 55+. Furthermore, we conducted semistructured interviews with adults aged 64+ living or who have lived in Switzerland and spend part of the year in Spain. The second approach relates to the use of an inclusive sample diversified in terms of nationality and migration backgrounds. The inclusive design affects the formulation of questions asked to all participants (and the response options provided in the survey), as well as decisions related to language choices and translations. These elements have to be considered to ensure that older adults from different backgrounds feel included. In a research project on transnational mobility of older adults, conducting an inclusive plus mixed-methods research project pushes researchers to find strategies to balance research objectives with available resources. Maximizing the research team’s methodological background appears to be a suitable approach to address different population groups while working within a budget.
ISSN:0016-9013
1758-5341
DOI:10.1093/geront/gnab128