2272 Methodological challenges and strategies in understanding the lived experiences of childless Chinese older couples

Abstract Introduction With more cases of delayed marriage, voluntary childlessness and infertility among Chinese, childless older couples are anticipated to increase. Although evidence suggests that being childless in Western societies may benefit older couples, older Chinese couples without children are marginalised as no one is available to take care of their physical, psychosocial and financial burdens because children in the Chinese societies are often responsible for caring and supporting older individuals. This ongoing study explores the lived experiences of ageing among childless Chinese older couples. While the research methods are novel in the literature, this study highlights the methodological challenges encountered by the researchers. Method This qualitative study adopts the interpretive phenomenological approach with photovoice. Twenty childless older couples are recruited to participate in two face-to-face interviews and submit photos before the second interview. The photos convey contextual details that are challenging to express in words, thereby enhancing the richness of the interview data. Data are analysed using the van Manen’s thematic analysis and Oliffe’s photographic analysis. Results Some challenges experienced so far include difficulties in recruiting participants, as certain spouses refuse to participate while their partners choose to do so. Also, certain couples are reluctant to talk about dying as the last stage of their ageing or be interviewed simultaneously. Similarly, certain couples may not know how to take and submit photos. Strategies utilised include providing simple and clear explanations before the interview, allowing some couples to be interviewed separately, assuring confidentiality in data handling, and recruiting those competent in using smartphones. Conclusion The methodological challenges and related strategies surrounding recruiting older couples and using photovoice provide valuable implications for future researchers. Acknowledgement The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (UGC/FDS16/M09/23).