A "Disruption of How We Tell Our Stories": The Feasibility of Life Plotting with Disabled People of Color as a "Double Burdened" Community.

This study examines the feasibility of an innovative narrative-based tool called LifePlot. Life plotting, the process of creating a LifePlot, uses fictional storytelling techniques to facilitate the story construction and story sharing of lived experience for those facing challenges. Data collection centers the perspectives and insights of a distinct population - disabled people of color - who represent an intersection of communities with compounded health risks and whose perspectives are underrepresented in research. This research also prioritizes community knowledge through the inclusion of an advisory board to help guide study implementation. Observations were conducted of participants completing LifePlots. Next, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants about their experience with the LifePlot tool as well as their general life experiences. Finally, one to two weeks later, follow up in-depth interviews were conducted in order to further assess their perceptions of shorter-term benefits. Key findings include clarification about what life plotting is, how it works, and why it matters to the intended population from their perspectives. Participants consider life plotting a way to tell a story by breaking down and reconnecting the external and internal parts of their story, combining what has happened to them and who they have been in reflection. Life plotting allows participants to construct their story with a precision that is beyond what they might have considered otherwise. It provides participants with nuanced insight into how they have changed over time and guidance to authentically engage others through their story. This feasibility study demonstrates promise for the continued study of life plotting and reveals changes that can be made to the process and administration of the tool.