NCJ Number
215104
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2006 Pages: 507-518
Date Published
August 2006
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study explored whether questionnaire format impacted self-reported partner violence rates.
Abstract
Results indicated some support for all the questionnaire formats explored in this experiment: paper-and-pencil format, computer administration format, standard Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) categories, and dichotomous categories. Few differences were noted between the paper-and-pencil versus the computer administration format. In terms of response category effects, the standard CTS2 categories produced higher self-reported partner violence rates than the dichotomous categories. Overall, the rates of self-reported partner violence rates for all questionnaire formats were within the ranges generally found in samples of college students queried with the Conflict Tactics Scale and the CTS2. The findings suggest that while response categories and type of violence may alter reporting rates, the questionnaire administration method may have little effect on partner violence reporting rates. Participants were 160 undergraduate students recruited from an introductory psychology class at a northeastern university. Participants were randomly assigned to complete the CTS2 using a paper-and-pencil format or the computer administration format. Experimental conditions also varied in terms of response category, which was either dichotomous or contained the standard CTS2 categories. Statistical analyses included multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and chi-square analyses. Future research should compare self-administered questionnaires to other methods such as interviews in terms of partner violence disclosure rates. Table, references