An Intergenerational Storytelling Program in Medical Education: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation
University of California San Diego School of Medicine
How they used Delve
Medical educators at UC San Diego used Delve to thematically analyse focus groups, exit interviews, free-text survey answers and discussion board posts from an intergenerational storytelling elective, categorising comments into themes about how medical students' attitudes toward older adults shifted.
“To evaluate the data, a thematic analysis approach utilizing an online qualitative analysis software "Delve" was employed, thus streamlining the process of categorizing comments into common themes (35). A few quotes were then selected from each category that best exemplified that theme.”
- Field
- Medical education and geriatrics; an eight-week narrative-based intergenerational elective pairing medical students with senior living residents to reduce ageism and build empathy
- Data
- Post-program free-response survey answers, post-program focus groups, individual exit interviews by phone with older adults unable to attend a focus group, and medical students' discussion board posts, drawn from 9 medical students and 11 older adult residents of Belmont Village Senior Living in La Jolla, California, who were paired for an eight-week storytelling elective
- Approach
- Mixed-methods evaluation on an interrupted time series design. The quantitative strand used paired t-tests within groups and a Mann-Whitney U test between enrolled and non-enrolled medical students across six standardised instruments (empathy, compassion, social connectedness, resilience, mental well-being, wisdom). The qualitative strand pooled four data sources and was analysed thematically in Delve, categorising comments into common themes with exemplar quotes selected from each category.
- Data types
- Focus groups, Interviews, Open-ended survey responses
Abstract
Background: Intergenerational programs benefit participants across generations by reducing ageism and promoting empathy and resilience. Despite compelling evidence supporting their effectiveness, formal integration into medical education remains limited. This study evaluated the impact of a narrative-based intergenerational program on medical students and older adults. Methods: An eight-week elective course paired medical students with residents at a local senior living community for interviews focused on life experiences and personal stories. Standardized pre- and post-program surveys were administered to participating medical students and older adults, as well as to a comparison group of medical students not enrolled in the program. Surveys measured empathy, compassion, social connectedness, resilience, mental well-being, and wisdom. Paired t-tests evaluated within-group changes between pre- and post-program responses. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare outcomes between enrolled and non-enrolled medical students. Qualitative feedback was analyzed thematically. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in medical students’ self-reported social connectedness (p = 0.037), empathy (p = 0.034), compassion (p = 0.010), and age-related perceptions (p = 0.013), as well as in older adults’ self-reported wisdom (p = 0.012) from pre- to post-program. Compared to non-enrolled peers, medical students in the program demonstrated significantly higher social connectedness (p = 0.004), empathy (p = 0.009), compassion (p = 0.046) and age-related perceptions (p = 0.004). Thematic analysis revealed that students valued opportunities to connect with community members in non-clinical settings, actively reflect on unconscious biases, and develop more positive attitudes toward older adults. Older adults provided constructive feedback on the program’s logistics and noted the highlight of their experience as spending time with medical students in an individual setting. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of narrative-based intergenerational programming to enhance key competencies in medical trainees while promoting wisdom in older adults. Integration of such programs into medical curricula may promote more empathetic and compassionate, age-inclusive healthcare while strengthening meaningful cross-generational connections.
Citation
Anastasia Nicole Ryhanych, Heidi Banh, Jessica Olivia Young, Satish Jaiswal, Jyoti Mishra, Desirée Shapiro (2025). An Intergenerational Storytelling Program in Medical Education: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7255538/v1