Using Solicited Written Qualitative Diaries to Develop Conceptual Understandings of Sleep

Abstract

This article presents the use of the solicited written qualitative sleep diary as a method for understanding sleep experience. The article reviews selected quantitative and qualitative research to contextualize contemporary sleep circumstances and concerns. It continues with a summary of previous diary applications in social scientific sleep research. The article then outlines the diary template, data collection procedures, and sampling. Diaries were received from a sample of 48 university students at a Canadian university campus who enrolled in a fourth-year course on sleep and society. The method's analytical potential is highlighted by student accounts that construct meanings of sleep around academic accomplishments which are conceptualized as "rituals of obligation." Students interpret sleep as a shutting off from ritual obligation. "Shut off" is observed in four ways: personalized management techniques, calendar rhythmicity, introspective bargaining, and the sleep fritter. The methodological discussion of the sleep diary echoes previously articulated observations about the method while offering additional strengths, precautions, and possibilities relating to the diary's trustworthiness as a prioritized data collection method. The solicited written qualitative sleep diary benefits from its access and flexibility of participation, the encouragement of creative expression, the adoption of incentives and support mechanisms, and research reflexivity.

‘A lot of small things make a difference’. Mental health and strategies of coping during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Processes were in place to support both the researchers and the diarists in the event of emotional distress, with weekly calls used to check in with diarists. All quotes and excerpts in the findings are anonymized using an identifier combining the diarist's unique ID (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) and the diary week (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Where data come from weekly calls, this is stated (e.g., diary5-week1-call).…”

“…The solicited diary method, designed for research purposes (as opposed to private diary keeping), is recognized to have advantages 11 . Temporally, they allow for the recording of changing experiences (e.g., over days, weeks or months) 12 . For some, diary writing may lead participants to reveal more private insights into situations that they are less willing to discuss in an interview context 13 .…”

“… 11 Temporally, they allow for the recording of changing experiences (e.g., over days, weeks or months). 12 For some, diary writing may lead participants to reveal more private insights into situations that they are less willing to discuss in an interview context. 13 Conversely, however, this aspect of diary keeping also raises ethical considerations.…”

The use of diaries for understanding the experience of health and illness

“…Furthermore, regular contact with participants have been found to enhance the quality and rigor of the diaries produced (Herron et al, 2019). Indeed, research has shown that participants may request assurance from researchers that they are completing the diary research task in a proper way (Gawley, 2018). For instance, Moore et al (2015) noted that the home visits during the writing of diaries by older people on the self-management practices of heart disease enabled researchers to build rapport.…”

“…Diaries also open space for the creative expression of participants (Alaszewski, 2006). Indeed, Gawley (2018) in a study on the sleep experience of university students noted that creativity and complexity of thought marked the writing of diaries.…”