Effect of response format on endorsement of eating disordered attitudes and behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was designed to compare response rates on a standard self-report questionnaire that was nominally anonymous to an unmatched count questionnaire that allowed for true anonymity in responding.


METHODS
Four hundred and fifty-four college students were asked about several topics, including attitudes towards weight and shape, dieting, and eating disordered behavior using one of two response formats; either a standard questionnaire in true-false format or an unmatched count questionnaire that did not require participants to directly answer sensitive questions.


RESULTS
Both males and females had significantly different rates of endorsement between the two methods of assessment on the majority of the eating-related questions.


CONCLUSIONS
Response format and degree of anonymity affect endorsement of eating-related thoughts and behaviors. Understanding response bias is critical to determining accurate rates of eating disordered thoughts and behaviors.
Anderson
Drew A
DA
Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA. drewa@albany.edu
Simmons
Angela M
AM
Milnes
Suzanne M
SM
Earleywine
Mitchell
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035041:Anonymous Testing / Q000523:psychology; D015982:Bias; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires