Narratives in and about families: An examination of coding schemes and a guide for family researchers

Barbara H. Fiese, Mary Spagnola

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article aims to provide the reader with a general overview of narrative methods as they apply to the study of family relationships. How narratives are collected and issues pertaining to training raters are considered. Scoring systems have been developed that code for thematic content, relative coherence, and co-constructive processes. Validity for these methods is examined through (a) concordance between narrative codes and directly observed behavior within similar domains, (b) links between narratives and self-report measures, and (c) the relation between narratives and psychological functioning. A guide for researchers in their consideration of adopting narrative methods is offered. The article concludes with a consideration of linking different coding schemes and challenges for future researchers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)51-61
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Family Psychology
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Family narratives
  • Family research
  • Family stories
  • Research methods

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology

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