The Life History Calendar: A Technique for Collecting Retrospective Data

Abstract

"This paper details the authors' selection, design, and use of a life history calendar (LHC) to collect retrospective life course data. A sample of nine hundred [U.S.] 23-year-olds, originally interviewed in 1980, were asked about the incidence and timing of various life events in the nine years since their 15th birthday.... The following aspects of the LHC are described: (a) the concept, uses, and advantages of the LHC, (b) the time units and domains used, (c) the mode of recording the responses and the decisions and problems involved, (d) interviewer training, and (e) coding. The following results attest to the accuracy of the LHC retrospective data: (a) only four of the calendars had missing data in any month; (b) the data obtained in 1980 about current work, school attendance, marriage, and children showed a remarkable correspondence to the retrospective 1985 LHC reports of these events; (c) the interviewers were positive about the LHC's ability to increase respondent recall."

Interaction of Serotonin Transporter Gene-Linked Polymorphic Region and Stressful Life Events Predicts Cortisol Stress Response

“…The interview combines chronological and theme-based structures that fit to the organization of autobiographical memories and support sequencing as well as parallel retrieval approaches. Freedman et al (1988) reported agreement ranging from 72 to 92% between retrospectively obtained LHC data in comparison with data obtained 5 years earlier about the respondent's current situation (Freedman et al, 1988). In addition, Caspi et al (2003) found 90% agreement over a 3-year period (Caspi and Moffitt, 2006).…”

“…This interview was based on the life history calendar (LHC), which collects detailed retrospective data about SLEs, for example, death of close relatives or friends, serious illness or injury, relationship stressors, major difficulties at work or in school, financial problems, and experienced disasters (Axinn et al, 1999;Freedman et al, 1988). Validity and reliability of the LHC is enhanced through its use of memory cues, relating one event to other events that occurred about the same time.…”

Intimate Partner Violence, Welfare Receipt, and Health Status of Low‐Income African American Women: A Lifecourse Analysis

“…In this study, we addressed such difficulties in data collection and analysis by employing a unique methodology, the Life History Calendar (LHC) (Freedman et al, 1988), to obtain lifetime data on women's experience of IPV and welfare receipt. The LHC method facilitates recall of significant events over the lifecourse through the use of its unique calendar format.…”

“…We used the LHC method (Freedman et al, 1988) to collect information about lifetime experiences of IPV, welfare receipt, and other life events. Using a semistructured interview schedule in conjunction with a physical calendar, the LHC method first elicits information about memorable and/or easily recalled events (e.g., births, deaths, geographic mobility, employment history) that is then used to help in the retrieval of less easily recalled information (e.g., experiences of IPV) (Freedman et al, 1988;McPherson, Popielarz, & Drobnic, 1992).…”

Measuring Once Twice: An Evaluation of Recalling Attitudes in Survey Research

“…Numerous studies regarding the accuracy and validity of retrospectively gathered data on hard facts have appeared (e.g. Freedman et al, 1988;Berney and Blane, 1997). However, when it concerns attitudes, there is much more resistance towards the use of retrospective data.…”