Nonequivalence of on-line and paper-and-pencil psychological tests: the case of the prospective memory questionnaire.
There is growing evidence that Internet-mediated psychological tests can have satisfactory psychometric properties and can measure the same constructs as traditional versions. However, equivalence cannot be taken for granted. The prospective memory questionnaire (PMQ; Hannon, Adams, Harrington, Fries-Dias, & Gibson, 1995) was used in an on-line study exploring links between drug use and memory (Rodgers et al., 2003). The PMQ has four factor-analytically derived subscales. In a large (N = 763) sample tested via the Internet, only two factors could be recovered; the other two subscales were essentially meaningless. This demonstration of nonequivalence underlines the importance of on-line test validation. Without examination of its psychometric properties, one cannot be sure that a test administered via the Internet actually measures the intended construct.
Buchanan
Tom
T
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, England. buchant@wmin.ac.uk
Ali
Tarick
T
Heffernan
Thomas M
TM
Ling
Jonathan
J
Parrott
Andrew C
AC
Rodgers
Jacqui
J
Scholey
Andrew B
AB
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires