Appreciative inquiry and older people--finding the literature

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Positive Psychology

Background:

• Research with older adults often lacks a positive, strengths-based approach.
• Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a strengths-based methodology with potential benefits for engaging older populations.
• A gap exists in the literature regarding the explicit application and outcomes of AI in gerontological research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze existing literature on the use of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in research with older people.
• To explore the reasons behind the limited publication of AI studies in this field.
• To assess the reported engagement and follow-up of older adult participants in AI studies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search for papers on Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and older people.
• Qualitative analysis of identified papers, distinguishing between discussion and research-based articles.
• Exploration of potential underreporting or misclassification of AI methodologies in gerontological research.

Main Results:

• A scarcity of published research explicitly using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) with older adults was found.
• The majority of identified papers were discussion-based rather than empirical research.
• Studies explicitly using AI reported positive participant engagement, but lacked evidence of sustained follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Despite its potential, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is underrepresented in gerontological research literature.
• Further research is needed to understand why AI is not more widely adopted or reported in studies involving older adults.
• Exploring potential reasons for underreporting, such as non-classification of AI methods, is warranted to fully leverage its benefits for older populations.