Purpose. This presentation will highlight the challenges associated with the design and development of the qualitative protocols used in the International Resilience Project (IRP) and report on findings from 74 individual interviews, 19 focus groups with youth or elders, consultations with advisory committees in each site, and onsite observations. The presentation will emphasize the strategies used to ensure the protocol was culturally appropriate in these diverse settings and applicable to multiple informants (i.e., youth and elders). The presentation will also highlight the challenges associated with the cross-site analysis of qualitative data. Findings indicate that standardized matrices of factors cannot adequately account for the variability in respondents' accounts of resilience. Instead, nine “tensions” are noted in the data.

Method. Consultation with team members internationally were used to note the best possible qualitative practices available to team members. A variety of qualitative methods were chosen, though the approach that most easily fit with the mixed methods approach of the IRP was grounded theory. To this approach were added aspects of Participatory Action Research as well as suggestions by team members for culturally appropriate ways of gathering life stories and youth and elder “voices”. Limited funds and lack of training among some research assistants internationally resulted in less ambitious methods being employed with all data being gathered through face-to-face interviews with individuals or groups. Interviews were recorded in almost all cases, then transcribed and translated into English where necessary. In order to ensure consistency across sites, a core set of catalyst questions were developed by the team. These 9 questions helped to facilitate cross-site comparisons. Questions included, “What would I need to know to grow up well here?” and “How do you describe people who grow up well here despite the many problems they face?” among others. Data was gathered together in Halifax for analysis using QSR Nvivo software. Transcripts and coding structures were shared between sites for concurrent analysis.

Results. Findings show a culturally diverse pattern of nine “tensions” in the data able to account for all case studies and focus group discussions. These include: independence vs. independence; self-efficacy (high vs.low); adherence to one's local cultural (high vs. low); adherence to global culture (high vs. low); individual and collective experiences of social equity (high vs. low); articulation of a life philosophy (high vs. low); fitting in vs. being different; instrumental needs are met (high vs. low); emotional needs are met (high vs. low). These nine tensions influence youth to different extents depending on the cultural, community, relational and individual factors present in their lives.

Implications. These findings demonstrate the plurality of factors that youth negotiate their way through in order to nurture and sustain resilience. Results returned to communities offer a way of understanding youth's own experiences of survival and the dynamic nature of their struggles. Findings have implications for which services are offered locally and the need to provide a matrix of alternatives for youth to achieve health.