Youth-Engaged Qualitative Analysis: Practical Lessons

The core finding from the PLOS One study is that youth-engaged qualitative analysis can be implemented with TGD youth when teams invest in training, mentorship, flexible scheduling, and compensation, as described in the PLOS One report (Pham et al., 2026).

• The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) recruited a YAB beginning 08/04/2024 and retained 83.3% of members after one year (published July 30, 2026).
• The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) trained five YAB members and reported 100% of those trained completed qualitative-analysis training in 2025–2026.
• The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) reported that YAB members and mentors coded 25 out of 42 transcripts during the project and that each YAB member coded between 2 and 6 transcripts.
• The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) changed compensation from $250 per 6 months to $125 per 3 months in response to participant feedback and also paid $10 per transcript to support retention.

This section describes who ran the study, what the youth advisory board did, when recruitment and coding occurred, and how outcomes were measured in the PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026).

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) established a five-member youth advisory board (YAB) of transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse youth recruited beginning 08/04/2024 to advise and participate in qualitative analysis for the RISES project.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) screened 12 people, interviewed 8, invited 6 to join the YAB, and worked closely with 5 YAB members throughout the qualitative study.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) trained YAB members using a three-part approach: formal online responsible-conduct training, three 45-minute didactic sessions on qualitative methods, and hands-on coding practice paired with mentors.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) measured engagement via the Research Engagement Survey Tool (REST), attendance records, number of transcripts coded per YAB member (2–6 each), and retention after one year (83.3%).

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) reports both procedural shifts and qualitative evidence of support, including YAB member feedback such as "Thank you so much, I am so grateful to have you guys as support! !" quoted from a TGD YAB member in the article.

Teams that aim to replicate youth-engaged qualitative analysis should expect to invest time, mentorship, and flexible compensation, based on the PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026).

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) shows a practical mentoring model: pair each youth coder with a trained graduate or medical student, check in weekly, and use a coordinator as a communication liaison to reduce burden on youth.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) recommends asynchronous and synchronous options; in practice, the RISES team found YAB members preferred meeting and coding during scheduled meetings rather than heavy asynchronous tasks.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) highlights ethical and safety practices: require responsible-conduct training, screen for current distress, secure parental consent when required, and offer pauses if sociopolitical events increase stress for participants.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) shows that youth-engaged qualitative analysis with a TGD youth advisory board is feasible when teams budget for training, mentorship, flexible scheduling, and fair compensation.

The PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) provides specific operational numbers: recruitment beginning 08/04/2024, five active YAB members, coding contributions of 25 out of 42 transcripts by youth/mentor pairs, and 83.3% retention after one year.

Teams that want to scale participatory coding can combine the practices described in the PLOS One study (Pham et al., 2026) with AI-enabled workflows to reduce coordinator burden and preserve youth-led interpretation.

If you want to pilot youth-engaged qualitative analysis with secure transcription, versioned codebooks, and AI-assisted synthesis, Try Evidano for free.