As one of the world’s longest running longitudinal mixed-methods studies in low- and middle- income countries, Young Lives has amassed a rich body of knowledge and learning about research methods.
Young Lives features a household and child survey, qualitative research and a school survey. The study uses a cross-disciplinary approach, dual cohort, comparative design, and a holistic analytical model.
Our multidisciplinary approach means we bring a variety of angles and diverse expertise which adds breadth and depth to our understandings. Our qualitative research is crucial to capture the ‘voices’ of young people so that they have an opportunity to narrate their lives, hopes, concerns and priorities, in their own words.
For a comprehensive overview of our methods take a look at our Synthesis Report. You can also find out the challenges and lessons we have learned along the way in this reflective report on our Research Methods.
We continually learn, innovate and adapt our methods. During the pandemic in 2020 we used remote data collection methods. The use of a multi call phone survey offered an opportunity to explore new ways of collecting data form our study participants, including collecting data on the highly sensitive topic of domestic violence and GPS data. Switching from in-person to remote phone-based surveys raised important ethics questions explored in a recent paper and that we continually discuss and devise strategies to answer as a team.
We have also begun to match our data with other datasets to increase the power of our survey data.
Between 2019 and 2021, a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council supported us to look back on our unique twenty year study and to document key learning in a number of areas: research design and analysis, data management and governance, research leadership and impact and ethics and safeguarding. Read more on our Methodological Lessons and Learning project page
We will continue to reflect on our methods and innovate to progress our longitudinal study. .
