Diaries as research data in a study on family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease: methodological issues

Abstract

Diaries can be used as a primary method of data collection in nursing research, as they produce subjective knowledge of the experiences, emotions and meanings associated with caregiving. Their use can result in a high level of motivation, and ability to reflect on life promotes successful writing.

Adaptation After Facial Surgery: Using the Diary as a Research Tool

“…Everything went well." Other researchers have commented on differences in data quantity and quality between participants-for example, ranging from "meager" diaries to "reflective" accounts (Välimäki et al, 2007), so the findings from this study are not unusual. Variations in emotional content between diaries could be a function of differences in a range of factors: participant gender (although Milligan et al, 2005, noted no significant differences in entry quality between men and women), educational background, cognitive abilities, interpretation of instructions, time available for writing, emotions experienced, or desire to share difficult experiences with us, to name but a few.…”

An Internet‐Based Migraine Headache Diary: Issues in Internet‐Based Research

“…We retained 76% of our participants, who completed all 4 months of diary collection (of whom only 3 left because of computer or diary entry problems). Other longitudinal studies report retention rates of 15.2‐100% 37,41‐44 . However, often neither recruitment nor retention rates are reported, with results only including the size of the sample whose results are analyzed.…”

EVALUATE-AD and Tele-STAR: Novel Methodologies for Assessment of Caregiver Burden in a Telehealth Caregiver Intervention – A Case Study

“…It could decrease the need for caregivers to complete extensive self-report surveys that can be time-consuming. Caregiver tools that can provide more frequent and longitudinal assessments, such as caregiver diaries, can be subject to respondent fatigue over longer periods and an extra source of stress for some caregivers [31]. Further, unobtrusive monitoring removes reliance on caregivers to return surveys.…”