Conducting Life History Research With Adolescents

This article is a commentary on the life history approach, which specifically described aspects of and offered suggestions for conducting life history research with adolescents. The life history approach is well suited to a wide variety of types of health-related inquiry. In this article, the author used an exemplar study to show how well the life history approach was suited for questions regarding adolescent issues. This approach was also a good match for the developmental skills and needs of adolescents. The author uses the strengths and weaknesses of the approach and a detailed example of how she used the life history data to identify themes drawn from the exemplar study. She makes specific suggestions, including the development and implementation of an interview guide, planning and scheduling interviews, and the use of a life history grid. She includes examples of each suggestion and a sample life history grid. The life history approach is well suited for inquiry in a wide variety of psychosocial phenomena. The approach incorporates core values shared by health care professionals, including recognition of the agency of each individual and the essential role of context in the living of a life. It is a holistic, dynamic process incorporating the participants ’ retrospective life experiences and the researcher’s interpretations (Admi, 1995). Many psychosocial phenomen