Seemingly minor changes to a questionnaire can make a big difference to mean scores: a cautionary tale
Seemingly minor changes to a questionnaire can make a big difference to mean scores: a cautionary tale
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DOI：
10.1007/s00127-007-0169-0
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发表时间：
2007-04-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Maughan, Barbara
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Goodman, Robert;Iervolino, Alessandra C.;Maughan, Barbara
背景研究人员对现有仪器进行明显的微小修改而不检查这是否会改变心理测量特性，这并不罕见。方法比较两种不同版本Rutter父母问卷中关于儿童心理健康的等效项目：标准版和修订版。400名5-7岁儿童的父母被随机分为两组：每组完成一个版本的Rutter以及一个独立的精神病理学测量（优势和困难问卷; SDQ）。结果根据SDQ，两组的平均精神病理学评分相当，但两个Rutter版本之间存在显着差异，主要是因为反应类别的变化。然而，从Rutter-SDQ相关性判断，两个版本的Rutter的有效性相似。结论：一项测量的措辞中看似微小的变化可能对平均得分产生重大影响，从而使使用原始测量和修改后测量的研究结果更难比较或联合收割机。
Background It is not unusual for researchers to make apparently minor modifications to existing instruments without checking if this alters psychometric properties. Method Equivalent items on child mental health from two different versions of the Rutter parent questionnaire were compared: items from the standard version and from a modified version. The parents of 400 children aged 5-7 years were randomised into two groups: each group completed one version of the Rutter as well as an independent measure of psychopathology (the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ). Results The mean psychopathology scores of the two groups were comparable according to the SDQ but differed markedly between the two Rutter versions, principally because of changes in the response categories. Nevertheless, the validity of the two versions of the Rutter was similar as judged from Rutter-SDQ correlations. Conclusion Seemingly minor changes in the wording of a measure can have a major impact on mean scores, thereby making it harder to compare or combine the results of studies using the original and the modified measure.