Capturing daily family dynamics via text messages: development of the mobile diary

Abstract

In this paper we introduce a new tool, the mobile phone, for use in diary research. We demonstrate, with reference to two family studies conducted in Finland, how daily family dynamics can be captured by using the mobile diary. In both studies family members sent text messages (SMSs) in answer to structured diary questions three times a day over a one-week period. The participants kept also paper-and-pencil diaries. Two mobile diary items measuring mood (stressfulness and feelings of competence) both at home and at work are reported here as examples. For both items we found statistically significant daily and weekly variation as well as individual fluctuation. The data gathered by the mobile diary were congruent but not identical with the data gathered by the paper-and-pencil diary. The mobile phone method of data collection facilitated participants’ answers at the agreed times and the participants reported that answering was easy and did not take too much time. The main limitation is the lack of space for answers; therefore, the few questions that are used have to be reliable and valid.

En este artículo se presenta una nueva herramienta para la recogida de datos, el teléfono móvil, y su uso en la realización de investigaciones de diario personal. Demostramos, a la luz de dos trabajos de investigación llevados a cabo en Finlandia, cómo se puede registrar la dinámica cotidiana familiar sirviéndose de un diario en teléfono móvil. En ambos trabajos los miembros de la familia respondían con mensajes de texto (sms) a preguntas de diario estructuradas, tres veces al día durante una semana. Los participantes también llevaban paralelamente diarios personales con pluma y papel. Aquí presentamos dos ejemplos de presupuestos de estado anímico (el estrés y el sentimiento de sentirse capacitado) calculados tanto en casa como en el trabajo. En ambos estados anímicos pudimos observar fluctuaciones significativas tanto diarias como semanales. Los datos recogidos con el diario en móvil eran congruentes aunque no totalmente idénticos con los del diario con pluma y papel. El método de recogida de datos con móvil facilitaba que los participantes respondiesen a las horas acordadas. En opinión de los participantes era fácil responder y no llevaba mucho tiempo. La limitación más importante de este método es la escasez de espacio de respuesta, por lo que las preguntas del diario en móvil deben ser fiables y válidas.

Keywords:

• diary studies
• mobile technology
• daily family life
• family research
• data collection

Palabras claves:

• investigación de diario personal
• telefonía móvil
• vida cotidiana familiar
• investigación familiar
• recogida de datos

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the Academy of Finland (grant number 7110192).

Notes

1. Three families in which the man had a large number of missing values (≥50%) as well as two families in which only the woman had filled in the mobile diary were excluded from the GLM analyses. The missing data were imputed for the remaining families. Consequently, the imputed data in GLM comprised a total of 39 families. The mean percentage of missing values was 2.20 for women and 6.23 for men. Twenty-four women and 26 men had no missing values.

2. The data in multilevel modeling comprised all 45 participating women and 42 participating men (weekend measurements excluded). The mean percentage of missing values was 2.67 for women and 14.88 for men. Thirty-seven women and 29 men had no missing values in any of the variables utilized.

3. The combination data comprised all 45 participating women and 42 participating men (weekend measurements excluded). The mean percentage of missing values was 6.67 for women and 12.09 for men. Some of the missing values were due to the participants’ absences from work, for example, because of sickness. Twenty-eight women and 21 men had no missing values in any of the variables utilized.