Solicited diary studies of psychotherapy in qualitative research–pros and cons

Diary studies are scarce within the field of qualitative psychotherapy research. In this article arguments for and against the employment of solicited diary studies in qualitative psychotherapy research are investigated. The strengths of diary studies are presented along with arguments concerning their pertinence to the field. Limitations and potential critiques regarding the use of diaries are also addressed.     

Infant crying and maternal holding in the first 2 months of age: an Italian diary study

This study aims to confirm previous North American and North European findings about the normal developmental pattern of infant crying by studying the crying of Italian babies. A cohort of 70 healthy, full‐term Italian infants was assessed longitudinally at 2, 5 and 8 weeks of age. Mothers were asked to fill in 24‐h behaviour diaries for 3 consecutive days at each age. Results show significant differences in the amount of daily crying between 2 and 8 weeks and between 5 and 8 weeks. Different from other similar studies, no significant cry peak at 5 weeks was found in the Italian babies, but the amount of time Italian mothers spent holding their babies showed a peak at 5 weeks. Infants cried more during the evenings and mothers carried them most during this part of the day. Significant correlations between maternal holding and infant crying were found both concurrently and predictively. The amount of infant crying at 2 weeks predicted the amount of holding at 5 weeks. Results confirmed previous findings about the individual stability of daily crying in the first 8 weeks of age, but future research should take account of cultural variations in maternal holding in studying infant crying in different societies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unveiling a reflective diary methodology for exploring the lived experiences of stress and coping

This article unveils a diary methodology exploring accounts of ongoing experiences during the final furlong of university life and examines the role of diary keeping for gaining insights into stress and coping with performance-related and general life stressors. The focus is on thirty young people who, following a year working in industry, were in the midst of their final year of university study—undergoing coursework assessments, preparing for final examinations, making key career choices, and taking part in the whole process of job applications, assessment centres, and interviews. All were attending a course exploring theoretical and practical approaches to self-awareness and interpersonal skills development. The article shares insights regarding the use of diaries for the exploration of stress and coping from the perspective of both the researcher and the diarist.     

The use of daily diaries to assess the relations among mood state,overt behavior,and reward value of activities

Recent data has sparked renewed interest in behavioral treatments for depression; however several fundamental questions remain regarding the mechanisms of such approaches. To this end, the current study directly tested the assumption that non-clinical mildly depressed individuals receive less response-contingent positive reinforcement than non-depressed individuals, indicated by less engagement in behaviors perceived as rewarding in terms of both immediate pleasure and potential for these behaviors to result in more distal rewards. The data presented support this assumption and provide support for the role of reinforcement-based strategies such as behavioral activation in the treatment of depression.     

Reflecting on being an effective teacher in an age of measurement

This reflective study examines what effective means in terms of teaching in secondary schools in England. The article questions whether quality assurance and observations produce better teachers or better ‘fabricators’. The study explores the pressures of performativity and the resulting fabrication: the ‘ticking of boxes’ in order to be classed as ‘outstanding’ and ‘effective’. A journey to recapture the pleasure in teaching and learning through reflective diaries will be considered. Here the process leads to the outcome without an overemphasis on assessment criteria and performativity or extrinsic motivators which can counter intrinsic motivation and professional judgement.     

Regaining a sense of agency and shared self-reliance: the experience of advanced disease cancer patients participating in a multidimensional exercise intervention while undergoing chemotherapy--analysis of patient diaries

Evidence is emerging that exercise can reduce psychological distress in cancer patients undergoing treatment. The present study aimed to (qualitatively) explore the experiences of advanced disease cancer patients participating in a 6-week, 9-hours weekly, structured, group-based multidimensional exercise intervention while undergoing chemotherapy. Unstructured diaries from a purposive sample of three females and two males (28-52 years old) who participated in the program served as the database. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological, narrative method. The analysis yielded three themes: shifting position, self-surveillance, and negotiated strength. The intervention highlighted situations making it possible for the participants to negate psychological and physical constraints. The concept of structured exercise contains viable psychotherapeutic potentials by allowing the development of alternative bodily and mental realities complying with cancer patients' demands and abilities to regain autonomy and commitment to discover and adopt a sense of agency and shared self-reliance.     

Using a cross‐contextual qualitative diary design to explore client experiences of psychotherapy

Qualitative research in counselling and psychotherapy has largely been based on interviews carried out with clients and therapists. However, other approaches to qualitative data collection are possible. The present paper uses a diary design to explore the connection between what goes on in therapy sessions, and client activities and experiences in other contexts. Clients and counsellors kept diaries about significant aspects of therapy sessions, while clients also kept diaries about new and different experiences in other contexts in their lives. Ethical and practical issues involved in the use of diaries are discussed, and the methods that were employed to analyse diary‐based data are described. The types of findings that the study generated are presented, along with discussion of their implications for research into client experiences of therapy.     

数学日记对数学学习有效性的实验研究

本研究对高中数学学科进行实验研究,以探讨数学日记对主观数学学习效能感与客观数学成绩的影响.结果显示数学日记能显著提高学生的数学学习效能感,有助于数学学习成绩的提高,尤其对数学差生更具有显著作用;同时数学日记还能使学生对数学学习的信念与数学学习的实效协调起来,获得一致性效应.结论是数学日记能使学生形成一种有效性的学习.     

Is dream recall underestimated by retrospective measures and enhanced by keeping a logbook? An empirical investigation

In a recent review, Aspy, Delfabbro, and Proeve (2015) highlighted the tendency for retrospective measures of dream recall to yield substantially lower recall rates than logbook measures, a phenomenon they termed the retrospective-logbook disparity. One explanation for this phenomenon is that retrospective measures underestimate true dream recall. Another explanation is that keeping a logbook tends to enhance dream recall. The present study provides a thorough empirical investigation into the retrospective-logbook disparity using a range of retrospective and logbook measures and three different types of logbook. Retrospective-logbook disparities were correlated with a range of variables theoretically related to the retrospective underestimation effect, and retrospective-logbook disparities were greater among participants that reported improved dream recall during the logbook period. These findings indicate that dream recall is underestimated by retrospective measures and enhanced by keeping a logbook. Recommendations for the use of retrospective and logbook measures of dream recall are provided.