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What Is Qualitative Longitudinal Research?

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What Is Qualitative Longitudinal Research?
Introduction
Longitudinal Qualitative Research is a relatively recent development which has yet to be fully articulated as a coherent methodology (Neale & Flowerdew, 2003:189), although examples of this style of research can be traced back several decades. There are few books which deal with it in any depth (although see Saldana, 2003). In this essay I am going to; outline longitudinal qualitative research (QLR); address the main features of it; provide an outline of its strengths and weaknesses; describe its advantages over other forms of research styles; and provide an exemplar of a study which employed QLR research design.
What is QLR?
QLR embodies a range of mainly in-depth interview-based studies which involve returning to interviewees to measure and explore changes which occur over time and the processes associated with these changes (see Holland et al 2004 for a full review). The approach is particularly useful if one is studying a process which has a notion of a ‘career’ of some sort or which involves a developmental process. For example, I study why people stop offending, which clearly involves understanding the processes by which an individual comes to realise the harm they are doing to both themselves and others, makes efforts to resist their engagement in crime, overcomes stigmas, builds relationships with non-offenders and so on. Similarly, studies of ageing or of other developmental processes (parenthood, changes in structural location such as from employee to retiree) are suitable for QLR.
There is currently no definition – nor will there ever be I suspect - of how long studies should last, nor is there any guidance in the literature as to how long the time intervals 2 between interviews ought to be. It is clear that, depending on the subject matter at hand, these sorts of decisions will need to be left to researchers and guided by their preferences and the nature of their studies. A study of the emotional strains placed on a relationship during



References: Archer, M. (2000) Being Human: The Problem of Agency, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge. Black, T. R. (1999) Doing Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences, Sage, London. Bushway, S., Piquero, A., Boidy, L., Cauffman, E. and Mazerolle, P., (1999) “An Empirical Framework for Studying Desistance As a Process”, Criminology, Cusson, M . and Pinsonneault, P. (1986) The Decision To Give Up Crime, in Cornish, D. B. and Clarke, R. V. (eds.) The Reasoning Criminal, New York, Springer-Verlag. Ebaugh, H., R., F., (1984) Leaving the Convent: The Experience of Role Exit and Self-Transformation, in Kotarba, J Farrall, S. (2002a) Rethinking What Works With Offenders, Willan Publishing, Cullompton, Devon. Farrall, S. (2002b) Long-term Absences From Probation: Officers’ and Probationers’ Accounts Farrall, S. (2003a) J’ accuse: Probation Evaluation-Research Epistemologies (Part One: The Critique), Criminal Justice, 3(2):161-179. Farrall, S. (2003b) J’ accuse: Probation Evaluation-Research Epistemologies (Part Two: This Time Its Personal and Social Factors), Criminal Justice, 3(3): 249-268. Farrall, S. (2004) Social Capital and Offender Reintegration: Making Probation Desistance Focussed Farrall, S. (2005a) Officially Recorded Convictions for Probationers: The Relationship With Self-Report and Supervisory Observations, Legal & Criminological Farrall, S. (2005b) On The Existential Aspects of Desistance From Crime, Symbolic Interaction, 28(3):367-86. Farrall, S. and Calverley, A. (2005) Understanding Desistance From Crime, Open University Press, Crime and Justice Series. Farrall, S. and Maltby, S. (2003) The Victimisation of Probationers, Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 42(1):32-54. Farrington, D. and Hawkins, J. D. (1991) “Predicting Participation, Early Onset and Later Persistence in Officially Recorded Offending”, Criminal Behaviour Gadd, D. & Farrall, S. (2004) Criminal Careers, Desistance and Subjectivity: Interpreting Men’s Narratives of Change, Theoretical Criminology, 8(2)123-55. Gilchrist, E., Bannister, J., Ditton, J, and Farrall, S. (1998) Women and Men Talking About the Fear of Crime: Challenging the Accepted Stereotypes, British Journal Glaser, J. M. & Gilens, M. (1997) Interregional Migration and Political Resocialization, Public Opinion Quarterly, 61:72-86. Henwood, K. & Lang, I. (2003) Qualitative Research Resources: A Consultation Exercise with UK Social Scientists, Report to the ESRC. Holland, J., Thomson, R. & Henderson, S. (2004) Feasibility Study for a Possible 23 Hollway, W & Jefferson, T. (2000) Doing Qualitative Research Differently, Sage, London. Lipsey, M. (1995) What Do We Learn From 400 Research Studies on the Effectiveness of Treatment With Juvenile Delinquents?, in McGuire, J Lloyd, C., Mair, G. and Hough, M. (1994) Explaining Reconviction Rates: A Critical Analysis, Home Office Research And Planning Unit Report No MacLeod, J. (1987, 1995) Ain’t No Makin’ It, Westview Press, Oxford. Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis, Sage, London. Mills, C. W. (1959) The Sociological Imagination, New York, Oxford University Press. Neale, B. & Flowerdew, J. (2003) Time, Texture & Childhood: The Contours of Longitudinal Qualitative Research, International Journal of Social Research Pawson, R. and Tilley, N. (1997) Realistic Evaluation, Sage, London. Pratt, M. W., Hunsberger, B., Pancer, M. & Alisat, S. (2003) A Longitudinal Analysis of Personal Values Socialization, Social Development, 12(4):563- Prewitt, K., Eulau, H. and Zisk, B. (1966) Political Socialization and Political Roles, Public Opinion Quarterly, 30:569-82. Ruspini, E. (2002) Introduction to Longitudinal Research, Routledge, London. Saldana, J. (2003) Longitudinal Qualitative Research, Alta Mira Press, New York. Taris, T. W. (2000) A Primer in Longitudinal Data Analysis, Sage, London. Ward, J. & Henderson, Z. (2003) Some Practical and Ethical Issues Encountered Whilst Conducting Tracking Research with Young People Leaving the ‘Care’

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