Process / pipelineData collection

Longitudinal Diary Method — Repeated Diary Data Collection Over Time

The Longitudinal Diary Method is a data collection technique in which participants record experiences, thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in structured diary entries repeatedly over an extended period — from days to months or even years. Unlike a one-shot survey, it tracks within-person change, daily fluctuation, and temporal processes in natural settings, making it especially powerful for studying how phenomena evolve over time.

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Sources

  1. Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54(1), 579–616. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145030
  2. Scollon, C. N., Kim-Prieto, C., & Diener, E. (2009). Experience sampling: Promises and pitfalls, strengths and weaknesses. Journal of Happiness Studies, 4(1), 5–34. DOI: 10.1023/A:1023605205115

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Referenced by

ScholarGateLongitudinal Diary Method (Longitudinal Diary Method). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/survey-methodology/longitudinal-diary-method