Impact of Informed Consent Regulations on Response Rate and Response Bias (From Survey Design and Analysis - Current Issues, P 59-80, 1977, Duane F Alwin, ed. - See NCJ-74033)

• NCJ Number: 74036
• Author(s): L Lueptow; S A Mueller; R R Hammes; L S Master
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 22 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Akron; US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

To determine the impact of informed consent regulations on response rate and response bias, data on grade point averages and measured intelligence scores were collected from seniors in 18 public high schools in a midwestern State in 1975.

Abstract

The data replicated information collected in these schools in 1964, prior to the requirements of privacy and informed consent. To meet these requirements, the 1975 research developed a consent procedure that used a detachable and identifying face sheet on the questionnaire. Parental consent was required for students under age 18. Results indicated that the use of voluntary participation and parental consent procedures sharply reduced participation from virtually 100 percent in 1964 to 59.8 percent in 1975. Nevertheless, the reduced participation did not introduce bias into three criterion measures for which population data were available: mean intelligence score, mean grade point average, and the correlation between intelligence score and grade point average. Results also indicated that bias in these measures in individual schools was not strongly correlated with the participation rate. The study showed that the critical factor determining rate of participation of adult students is attendance at the assembly where the research was explained. Both school size and the size of the assembled group also seemed to be involved in determining the rate of attendance; medium and large-size schools had more problems in obtaining participation. Results also indicated that the parental consent procedure used in the study was ineffective. In addition, since response rate was not highly correlated with the amount of bias, researchers should direct their attention to the local conditions that may operate to produce bias in a particular school. Consultation with school administrators regarding local conditions might have more affect on bias than would attempts to increase the participation rate. Figures, tables, notes, and 32 references are included.