Preprints are early versions of research articles that have not been peer reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive and should not be reported in news media as established information.
What causes the difference in mean structures between online and paper-and-pencil administrations Examination using the Self-report Depression Scale.docx (55.11 kB)
What causes the difference in mean structures between online and paper-and-pencil administrations?: Examination using the Self-report Depression Scale
Due to the many advantages of online surveys, many researchers are
taking advantage of this survey method. Although for many psychological instruments, previous
studies have shown that online and paper-and-pencil administration formats have
equivalent results, other studies have shown that some online surveys result in
different score distributions from those observed through paper-and-pencil
administration. In this study, we conducted surveys using Zung’s
self-report depression scale (SDS) to Japanese undergraduates both online and
through paper-and-pencil and examined whether there are differences between different
administration formats only in the scale’s mean structures and, if so, why the
difference occurs. Analysis results showed that
there was the difference only in mean structures. Results also implied that
the online administration format lowers item thresholds; this decrease would
cause the difference between the two formats’ mean structures. Finally, we think
about the future directions of this research; to examine whether similar
results would be seen in other scales, other countries, and other generations.
History
Declaration of conflicts of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.Corresponding author email
ntodo@human.tsukuba.ac.jpLead author country
- Japan
Lead author job role
- Higher Education Faculty 4-yr College
Lead author institution
University of TsukubaHuman Participants
- Yes
Ethics statement
All study participants provided informed consent, and the study design was approved by the appropriate ethics review board.Comments
Log in to write your comment here...