title: Measuring Down: Evaluating Digital Storytelling as a Process for Narrative Health Promotion.
abstract: Digital storytelling (DST) engages participants in a group-based process to create and share narrative accounts of life events. We present key evaluation findings of a 2-year, mixed-methods study that focused on effects of participating in the DST process on young Puerto Rican Latina's self-esteem, social support, empowerment, and sexual attitudes and behaviors. Quantitative results did not show significant changes in the expected outcomes. However, in our qualitative findings we identified several ways in which the DST made positive, health-bearing effects. We argue for the importance of "measuring down" to reflect the locally grounded, felt experiences of participants who engage in the process, as current quantitative scales do not "measure up" to accurately capture these effects. We end by suggesting the need to develop mixed-methods, culturally relevant, and sensitive evaluation tools that prioritize process effects as they inform intervention and health promotion.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Aline C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gubrium
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiddian-Green
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: DiFulvio
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Lizbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Toro-Mejías
keywords: New England; adolescents; agency; community and public health; empowerment; female; health; health promotion; marginalized or vulnerable populations; methodology; parenting; participatory visual research; power; pregnancy; research evaluation; sexuality; social support; technology; use in research; young adults; youth