Longitudinal studies Flashcards
1
Q
AO1/Description
A
- A study which takes place over a long period of time
- Study development and change (usually in one person or cohort)
- Don’t try to manipulate the person variables (usually)
- Usually collects Qualitative data
- Can employ several methods i.e. observations, questionnaires
- An example of a longitudinal study in clinical is Bradshaw
2
Q
Strengths
A
- Genuine development over time shows growth, not just a snapshot of development at one particular time
- Allows for effects long term to be examined unlike cross sectional studies
- Using same person avoids participant variables, allowing for factors such as personality and background to be minimised and prevented from affecting the outcome
- Regular checks on development over an extended period means that the data is very in-depth on the individuals studied
3
Q
Weaknesses
A
- Time consuming and expensive as conducted over a long time and lots of resources used/man hours For example, a study entails in depth data and thorough investigating such as Child of Our Time which involves going back every twelve months
- Generalisability issues as factors affecting the group may not affect different groups at another time
- High dropout rate causes loss of participants due to death/moving away/changes in circumstances
- The resulting small sample can mean that the results are no longer reliable and do not represent the general population well enough
- Cause and effect is difficult to establish as control cannot be established fully
