What is a Longitudinal Study?By Julia Simkus, published Dec 27, 2021 Show
A longitudinal study is a type of observational and correlational study that involves monitoring a population over an extended period of time. In longitudinal studies, researchers do not manipulate any variables or interfere with the environment. Instead, they simply conduct observations on the same group of subjects over a period of time. These research studies can last as short as a week or as long as multiple years, or even decades. Unlike cross-sectional studies that measure a moment in time, longitudinal studies last beyond a single moment, enabling researchers to discover cause and effect relationships between variables. They are beneficial for recognizing any changes, developments, or patterns in the characteristics of a target population. Longitudinal studies are often used in clinical and developmental psychology to study shifts in behaviors, thoughts, and emotions as well as trends throughout a lifetime. For example, a longitudinal study could be used to examine the progress and well-being of children at critical age periods from birth to adulthood. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the longest longitudinal studies to date. Researchers in this study have been following the same group of men for over 80 years, observing psychosocial variables and biological processes for healthy aging and well-being in late life (see Harvard Second Generation Study). Types of Longitudinal StudiesPanel Study
Cohort Study
Retrospective Study
AdvantagesAllows researchers to look at changes overtime LimitationsCostly and time consuming
How to Perform a Longitudinal StudyWhen beginning to develop your longitudinal study, you have to first decide if you want to collect your own data or use data that has already been gathered. Using already collected data will save you time, but the data will be more restricted and limited than if you collect it yourself. When collecting your own data, you can choose to conduct either a retrospective or prospective study. In a retrospective study, you are collecting data on events that have already occurred. You can examine historical information, such as medical records, in order to understand the past. In a prospective study, on the other hand, you are collecting data in real time. Prospective studies are more common for psychology research. Once you determine the type of longitudinal study you will conduct, you then must determine how, when, where, and on whom the data will be collected. A standardized study design is vital for efficiently measuring a population. Once a study design is created, it is important that researchers maintain the same study procedures over time to uphold the validity of the observation. A schedule should be maintained, complete results should be recorded with each observation, and observer variability should be minimized. Researchers must observe each subject under the same conditions in order to compare them. In this type of study design, each subject is the control. Longitudinal vs Cross-Sectional StudiesLongitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies are two different observational study designs where researchers are analyzing a target population without manipulating or altering the natural environment in which the participants exist. Yet, there are apparent differences between these two forms of study. One key difference is that longitudinal studies follow the same sample of people over an extended period of time while cross-sectional studies look at the characteristics of different populations at a given moment in time. Longitudinal studies tend to require more time and resources, but they can be used to detect cause-and-effect relationships and establish patterns among subjects. Cross-sectional studies, on the other hand, tend to be cheaper and quicker but are only able to provide a snapshot of a point in time and thus cannot identify cause-and-effect relationships. Both types of studies are valuable for psychologists to observe a given group of subjects, but cross-sectional studies are more beneficial for establishing associations between variables while longitudinal studies are necessary for examining a sequence of events. Frequently asked questions about longitudinal studies1. Are longitudinal studies qualitative or quantitative? Both! Like cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies can be either quantitative or qualitative. 2. What's the difference between a longitudinal and case-control study? Case control studies compare groups retrospectively and cannot be used to calculate relative risk. Longitudinal studies, though, can compare groups either retrospectively or prospectively. In case-control studies, researchers study one group of people who have developed a particular condition and compare them to a sample without the disease. Case-control studies look at a single subject or a single case, whereas longitudinal studies are conducted on a large group of subjects. 3. Does a longitudinal study have a control group? Essentially, yes. Since researchers observe each subject under the same conditions, each subject is an individual control. About the AuthorJulia Simkus is an undergraduate student at Princeton University, majoring in Psychology. She plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology upon graduation from Princeton in 2023. Julia has co-authored two journal articles, one titled “Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Addictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and COVID-19-Related Restrictions," which was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in April 2021 and the other titled “Food Addiction: Latest Insights on the Clinical Implications," to be published in Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions: From Biology to Public Health in early 2022. How to reference this article:How to reference this article:Simkus, J. (2021, Dec 27). What is a Longitudinal Study? Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/longitudinal-study.html SourcesCook, N. R., & Ware, J. H. (1983). Design and analysis methods for longitudinal research. Annual review of public health, 4, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pu.04.050183.000245 Fitchett, G., Rybarczyk, B., Demarco, G., & Nicholas, J.J. (1999). The role of religion in medical rehabilitation outcomes: A longitudinal study. Rehabilitation Psychology, 44, 333-353. Harvard Second Generation Study. (n.d.). Harvard Second Generation Grant and Glueck Study. Harvard Study of Adult Development. Retrieved from https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org. Le Mare, L., & Audet, K. (2006). A longitudinal study of the physical growth and health of postinstitutionalized Romanian adoptees. Paediatrics & child health, 11(2), 85-91. Luo, Y., Hawkley, L. C., Waite, L. J., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2012). Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: a national longitudinal study. Social science & medicine (1982), 74(6), 907–914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.11.028 Marques, S. C., Pais-Ribeiro, J. L., & Lopez, S. J. (2011). The role of positive psychology constructs in predicting mental health and academic achievement in children and adolescents: A two-year longitudinal study. Journal of Happiness Studies: An Interdisciplinary Forum on Subjective Well-Being, 12(6), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-010-9244-4 Sidney W.A. Dekker & Wilmar B. Schaufeli (1995) The effects of job insecurity on psychological health and withdrawal: A longitudinal study, Australian Psychologist, 30:1,57-63, DOI: 10.1080/00050069508259607 Stice, E., Mazotti, L., Krebs, M., & Martin, S. (1998). Predictors of adolescent dieting behaviors: A longitudinal study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 12(3), 195–205. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.12.3.195 Tegan Cruwys, Katharine H Greenaway & S Alexander Haslam (2015) The Stress of Passing Through an Educational Bottleneck: A Longitudinal Study of Psychology Honours Students,Australian Psychologist, 50:5, 372-381, DOI: 10.1111/ap.12115 Thomas, L. (2020). What is a longitudinal study? Scribbr. Retrieved from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/longitudinal-study/ Van der Vorst, H., Engels, R. C. M. E., Meeus, W., & Deković, M. (2006). Parental attachment, parental control, and early development of alcohol use: A longitudinal study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20(2), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.20.2.107 Further Information Schaie, K. W. (2005). What can we learn from longitudinal studies of adult development?. Research in human development, 2(3), 133-158. Caruana, E. J., Roman, M., Hernández-Sánchez, J., & Solli, P. (2015). Longitudinal studies. Journal of thoracic disease, 7(11), E537. Home | About Us | Privacy Policy | Advertise | Contact Us Simply Psychology's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. © Simply Scholar Ltd - All rights reserved
What is an experimental design for assessing age related changes in which data are obtained simultaneously from people of differing ages?Cross-sectional research designs are used to examine behavior in participants of different ages who are tested at the same point in time.
What is crossIn a cross-sectional study you collect data from a population at a specific point in time; in a longitudinal study you repeatedly collect data from the same sample over an extended period of time. Longitudinal study. Cross-sectional study. Repeated observations. Observations at a single point in time.
What is longitudinal research method?In a longitudinal study, researchers repeatedly examine the same individuals to detect any changes that might occur over a period of time. Longitudinal studies are a type of correlational research in which researchers observe and collect data on a number of variables without trying to influence those variables.
What type of research design assesses multiple cohorts over time?Cross-sequential designs combine aspects of both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. They are also known as sequential, mixed, and accelerated longitudinal designs. This design is when multiple age groups or cohorts are studied over time.
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