Mode effects for collecting alcohol and tobacco data among 3rd and 4th grade students: a randomized pilot study of Web-form versus paper-form surveys.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the feasibility and possible mode effects of using a Web-form versus a paper-form survey to collect alcohol and tobacco data from 3rd and 4th grade students.


METHODS
A survey regarding alcohol and tobacco use and attitudes was administered to 280 3rd and 4th grade students attending a racially and economically diverse Midwestern urban school district in the spring of 2003. The sample was randomly assigned to complete a Web-form survey (n=137) or a hardcopy paper-form survey (n=143).


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 87% and did not differ by survey mode. There were minimal differences between survey modes in data quality including substantive responses to alcohol and tobacco use.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study offer preliminary evidence that Web-form surveys can be considered for collecting alcohol and tobacco use data among young children. Although there were few survey mode differences, our findings suggest more research is needed to examine possible measurement errors induced by computer-based approaches of data collection.
McCabe
Sean Esteban
SE
University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center, 2025 Traverwood, Suite C, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2194, USA. plius@umich.edu
Boyd
Carol J
CJ
Young
Amy
A
Crawford
Scott
S
Pope
Duston
D
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001290:Attitude; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking; D044465:White People