USA 1998

This information has been created by the Centre for Time Use Research at University College London

Samples included

This data set combines two small-scale surveys collected by the University of Maryland Survey Research Centre, the 1998-99 Family Interaction, Social Capital, and Trends in Time Use Study (FISCT), a small-scale contiguous state sample funded by the National Science Foundation, and the 1999-2001 National Survey of Parents (NSP), funded by the Sloane Foundation.

Sample description: Family Interaction, Social Capital, and Trends in Time Use Study (FISCT)
Country: USA 1998
Study title: Family Interaction, Social Capital, and Trends in Time Use Study(FISCT)
Collector: Collected by the University of Maryland Survey Research Centre, funded by the National Science Foundation, with supplementary funding for the older people in the sample from the National Institute on Aging.
When conducted: 7 March 1998 - 9 December 1999
Sampling method and study design: The national sample study (of the contiguous 48 states plus Washington DC) aimed to examine social capital and quality of life in the USA. The study used the One Plus List-Assisted Random Digit Dial (RDD) frame to identify a sample of adults aged 18 or older, who were interviewed about their activities yesterday using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The diary started at midnight, and collected staring and stopping time, main activity (recorded in own words then coded into 94 activity codes), up to 2 simultaneous activities, location, and who else present (up to two categories could be selected). Note that published research tends to combine the FISCT data with the 1999-2001 NSP data to create a larger sample size. Some results using this dataset alone, for instance estimates of men's domestic work time, do not appear in sync with trends suggested by other USA national sample datasets.
Sample size: 1,151 diarists
Response rate: 56%
Weighting procedures: wt = sample and response weight; daywt = day of week and sample + response weight
Available documentation: User Guide
Sample description: National Survey of Parents (NSP)
Country: USA 1999-2000
Study title: National Survey of Parents (NSP)
Collector: Collected by the University of Maryland Survey Reseach Centre, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Working Families Program
When conducted: Main collection May 1999 - June 2000, with some follow-up collection of missing data and some additional diaries through 2001
Sampling method and study design: This study aimed to find out what parents do, how they balance competing demands on their time, and what value they place on various activities. The study used random-digit dialling to locate a national sample (for the contiguous states) of parents with children aged <18 living at home. The study collected 1 24-hour time diary about activities done yesterday from 1 parent per household using computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The main questionnaire covered attitiudes and value placed on doing various activities, and doing these activities alone, with children and with one's spouse or partner. The main questionnaire also covered time pressure. The age of the diarist was not initially collected, though most participants were recontacted for their age, and age was estimated from questions such as the age of the children and the age of the spouse or partner for participants who could not be recontacted. The diaries started at midnight, and collected starting and stopping time of activities, main activities in respondent's own words (coded into 96 categories). Diaries also collected up to two simultaneous activities, the presence of other people (two categories could be selected), and location. In a subsample of households where at least one parent had a university-level education, participants were recontacted and asked to undertake a more detailed study of the use of time by all household members (with older members asked to keep diaries both for themselves and children aged 8 or younger) for one week. Diaries started at midnight and recorded the starting and stopping time of each activity. Diarists recorded activities in their own words, and also noted who else was present and where activities took place (but not secondary activities). If all members of the household returned diaries, the household was paid $100. As only 125 households from the original sub-study, a further 325 households including a university educated parent and one or more children were recruited from a market panel to complete diaries. Note that published research tends to combine the main study NSP data with the 1998-1999 FISCT data to create a larger sample size.
Sample size: 1200 diarists (in the main study)
Response rate: 64%
Weighting procedures: The variable "weight" approximates distribution in the national population and corrects for non-response, the variable "daywt" balances distribution of days of the week by demographic group.