Managing large qualitative data sets in family research

The authors describe two complementary data management techniques -- family case summaries and computer generated matrices -- and their contribution to the analytic goals of a study of family response to childhood chronic illness. Family case summaries enabled the investigators to reduce a large qualitative data set in a way that preserved the family focus of the research. The use of a database management software system contributed to the efficient display and manipulation of thematically coded data in a way that fostered constant comparison of the data and analytic insights. The importance of using the two techniques in a way that supports the overall purpose and methodological underpinnings of a given study is emphasized.