Measuring health beliefs on the Internet: A comparison of paper and Internet administrations of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale

Abstract

A growing number of studies have supported the use of unidimensional psychometric test instruments administered via the Internet; however, support for the use of multidimensional scales is weak.

Reliability and validity of self-reported burnout in college students: A cross randomized comparison of paper-and-pencil vs. online administration

“…Several studies have shown that some instruments maintain their psychometric properties when adapted to the internet, when compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil format (Bates & Cox, 2008;Bressani & Downs, 2002;Fish et al, 2010;Herrero & Meneses, 2006;Hewson & Charlton, 2005;McCabe et al, 2005;Meyerson & Tryon, 2003;Thorndike et al, 2009). However, several other reports have shown that the reliability, validity and factor structure of instruments adapted to the internet were not equivalent to the observed in paper-and-pencil applications (Buchanan et al, 2005;Finegan & Allen, 1994;Hedman et al, 2010;Im et al, 2005;Luce et al, 2007;Naus et al, 2009;Suris et al, 2007;Whitener & Klein, 1995).…”

“…Unfortunately, factorial invariance between different deployment formats has not been evaluated in only but a few studies comparing equivalence of scales (see e.g. Fish et al, 2010;Herrero & Meneses, 2006;Hewson & Charlton, 2005;Thorndike et al, 2009). The fact that factor structure invariance may not be present in different formats of psychometric scales has been acknowledged in several similar studies comparing paper-andpencil, internet and telephone interview filling methods (Carlbring et al, 2007;Hedman et al, 2010;Naus et al, 2009;Suris et al, 2007).…”

“…In an earlier study on the equivalence of computerized vs. traditional research methods, Whitener and Klein (1995) identified several factors that may explain the lack of factor equivalence and threaten validity. These include socio-demographic differences between samples as has been acknowledged in other investigations (Bowling, 2005;Herrero & Meneses, 2006;Hewson & Charlton, 2005;Im et al, 2005;Klovning, Sandvik, & Hunskaar, 2009); single vs. group effects; mode of administration and instruments presentation and social desirability (Bowling, 2005;Fan & Yan, 2010;Hewson & Charlton, 2005;Thorndike et al, 2009;Whitener & Klein, 1995). To minimize these effects, namely single vs. group effects and mode of administration, we adopted a cross-over design with all the items being presented simultaneously, in the same order, and with the possibility to review and change answers if desired for both paper-and-pencil and internet formats.…”

“…However, several other reports have shown that the reliability, validity and factor structure of instruments adapted to the internet were not equivalent to the observed in paper-and-pencil applications (Buchanan et al, 2005;Finegan & Allen, 1994;Hedman et al, 2010;Im et al, 2005;Luce et al, 2007;Naus et al, 2009;Suris et al, 2007;Whitener & Klein, 1995). It needs to be pointed out that, although invariance of factor structures of internet vs. paper-and-pencil applications are a common concern amongst researchers, only a very few studies have explored the formats' equivalence using appropriate cross-sampling withinsubject designs (Bressani & Downs, 2002;Carlbring et al, 2007;Naus et al, 2009), and/or multi-group structural equation modeling analysis to demonstrate invariance of factorial structures (Buchanan et al, 1999;Fish et al, 2010;Herrero & Meneses, 2006;Hewson & Charlton, 2005).…”

“…Several questionnaires have been adapted to online forms and data has been flowing steadily from these tools. The psychometric quality of data gathered on the internet, by means of online questionnaires, has been extensively scrutinized and several studies have tried to understand how the internet may affect the validity and the reliability of different questionnaires and psychometric scales (Bates & Cox, 2008;Bressani & Downs, 2002;Buchanan et al, 2005;Carlbring et al, 2007;Fish, McGuire, Hogan, Morrison, & Stewart, 2010;Hedman et al, 2010;Herrero & Meneses, 2006;Hewson & Charlton, 2005;Im et al, 2005;Luce et al, 2007;McCabe, Boyd, Young, Crawford, & Pope, 2005;Meyerson & Tryon, 2003;Miller et al, 2002;Naus, Philipp, & Samsi, 2009;Riva, Teruzzi, & Anolli, 2003;Suris, Borman, Lind, & Kashner, 2007). Some of the advantages of the internet data collection, when compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil selfreport, mail and telephone surveys, include a lower cost, a larger sampling frame which may include geographically distant areas, respondent commodity, absence of interviewer biased responses, easy database creation, reduced data typos and commodity of data analysis.…”