Longitudinal Research

Longitudinal Research: 

Longitudinal Research Dewonia King-Moore, MSN, RN, APN, NP-C NSG913

Objectives: 

Objectives What is longitudinal research When is longitudinal data employed Why use longitudinal data Advantages of longitudinal data Challenges of longitudinal data

What is longitudinal research: 

What is longitudinal research Research study that involves observations of the same items over long periods of time (Saldana, 2003).

What is longitudinal research (con’t): 

What is longitudinal research (con’t) According to Ruspini (1999) longitudinal research entails a few common characteristics: Data are collected for each variable for two or more distinct periods Subjects/cases being analyzed are the same or broadly comparable Analysis involves some comparison of data between or among periods.

What is qualitative longitudinal research: 

What is qualitative longitudinal research Qualitative, longitudinal research (QLR) – “Monitoring an individual’s experience of change across time” (Miller, 2000, p. 109) Research that portrays people’s experiences, identities, and practices and the contexts in which these happen and change over a period of time (Holland, Thomson & Elliott, 2008).

When is longitudinal data employed: 

When is longitudinal data employed Anthropology Community Studies Sociology Criminology Education Policy Nursing Medicine

Why use longitudinal data: 

Why use longitudinal data “Produce high quality, in-depth data, providing great explanatory value” (Carter, 2006) “Offers a realistic understanding of causality, how and why things happen as they do, and how aspects of social, cultural, and contextual processes interact to produce different outcomes” (Thomson, Henderson, & Holland, 2003).

BREATHE: 

BREATHE

Advantages of longitudinal data: 

Advantages of longitudinal data Allows flexibility – Can shift the focus of the study as you gather the data Depth, quality, and variety of understandings achieved “Clarifies participants’ active reconstructions of themselves over time” (Carter, 2006).

Challenges of longitudinal data: 

Challenges of longitudinal data Conducting Ethical clarity Time is MONEY – Financial Costs Cohort Retention Maintaining a committed research teams Advances in technology (Carter, 2006) Analyzing Cannot provide causation Does not yield immediate results Societal changes Anonymising data Coding and Transcribing of Data Archiving and Retrieval of Data What test do you use when its time to analyze? (Holland, Thomson, & Henderson, 2006)

Conclusion – Points to Remember: 

Conclusion – Points to Remember QLR takes place over a period of time If you are going to conduct a QLR study, please don’t forget about the ethical concerns that may arise. Hindsight, foresight, and insight (Thomson & Holland, 2003)

Assignment: 

Assignment Please read the article posted in DB:Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2003). Hindsight, foresight and insight: the challenges of longitudinal qualitative research, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 6 (3) 233-344. Please Please answer, TWO of the three questions below. Despite the challenges that can often present in a qualitative, longitudinal study, describe how this type of research methodology could be beneficial in your phenomenon on interest? There were two main strategies of interpretation that were discussed in the article: Narrative and Cross-Sectional. If you were to utilize a qualitative longitudinal design for your research explain which strategy would be most useful for the analysis and interpretation of your data? Taking one of the challenges presented in the presentation, how and what resources would you use to overcome the challenge you selected?

Questions: 

Questions Please feel free to ask any questions or raise any points that you would like to share about this topic in our discussion board.

References: 

References Carter, S.M. (2006). Longitudinal qualitative research design: experience over time. University of Sydney 2006: ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference 2006; Sydney, Australia, December 10-13. Cliggett, L. (2002). Multigenerations and multidisciplines: Inheriting fifty years of Gwembe Tonga research, in Kemper, R. and Royce, A. P. (eds) (2002) Chronicling cultures: Longterm field research in anthropology, Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira. Flaskerud J.H.,  Nyamathi A.M., and Uman G.C. (1997). Longitudinal effects of an HIV testing and counseling programme for low-income Latina women. Ethnicity & Health, Mar-Jun (2), 89-103. Henderson, S., Holland, J., McGrellis, S., Sharpe, S. and Thomson, R. (2007). Inventing adulthoods: a biographical approach to youth transition: London: Sage. Holland, J., Thomson, R. and Elliott, J. (2008). “Longitudinal and panel studies”, in Alasuutari (ed) Handbook of social research methods, Sage.

References con’t: 

References con’t Holland, J., Thomson, R., Henderson, S. (2006). Qualitative longitudinal research: A discussion paper, working paper no. 21, Families & Social Capital ESRC Research Group, London South Bank University. Pollard, A. & Filer, A. (2000) The Social World of Pupil Assessment: Processes and Contexts of Primary Education, London: Contiuum. Ruspini, E. (1999). Longitudinal research and the analysis of Social change. Quality and Quantity 33: 219-227. Saldana, J. (2003). Longitudinal qualitative research: analyzing change through time. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press. Thomson, R., Henderson, S., Holland, J. (2003). Making the most of what you’ve got? Resources, values, and inequalities in young people’s transitions to adulthood, Educational Review, 55 (1): 33-36. Thomson, R. and Holland, J. (2003). Hindsight, foresight and insight: the challenges of longitudinal qualitative research, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 6 (3) 233-344.

ARE WE DONE YET? : 

ARE WE DONE YET?