Selection Bias Related To Parental Consent in School-Based Survey Research

Abstract

The authors examined differences between students with and without written parental consent to take part in a sensitive health survey. The data were collected using a consent procedure combining "active" and "passive" response options. Two thousand seven hundred five 9th and 12th graders whose parents provided written consent completed a full survey. An identical survey, without sex-related questions, was completed by 3,533 students whose parents gave "passive" consent to this less sensitive version. Students with written consent were more likely to be White, to live in two-parent households, to have a grade point average of B or above, and to be involved in extracurricular activities. They were also more likely to have been exposed to health promotion interventions. Irregular seat belt use was lower in the written-consent group at both grade levels. Among 9th graders, cigarette smoking was less prevalent in the written-consent group. There were no significant differences in alcohol or illicit drug use.

A longitudinal study of the social and emotional predictors and consequences of cyber and traditional bullying victimisation

“…Nearly three quarters (74 %) of the comparison sample (n = 1,119) completed all three data collections. At the start of the 2010 school year, the parents of all the grade 8 students in the recruited study schools were asked to provide opt-in, and if no response opt-out (passive), consent for their son or daughter to participate in the study and complete a survey (Anderman et al 1995;Chartier et al 2008). At each school a staff member (school coordinator) was provided with pre-paid packaged envelopes (containing an information letter, consent form and reply paid envelope) to be mailed by the school to the parents.…”

Parental consent in adolescent substance abuse treatment outcome studies

“…Studies have shown that the manner in which parental consent is collected impacts both participation rates and demographic characteristics of samples, but findings are mixed with regard to whether different consenting procedures result in lower reports of drug use and other risk behaviors (Anderman et al, 1995;Eaton et al, 2004;Esbensen, Miller, Taylor, He, & Freng, 1999;Frissell et al, 2004;Henry, Smith, & Hopkins, 2002;Jason et al, 2001;Kearney, Hopkins, Mauss, & Weisheit, 1983;Severson & Biglan, 1989;Severson & Ary, 1983;White, Hill, & Effendi, 2004). For example, passive consenting procedures often yield adolescent participation rates around 90%, whereas studies requiring active parental consent usually have participation rates ranging from 30% to 60% (Frissell et al, 2004).…”

Optimizing Opt-Out Consent for Record Linkage

“…In general, passive consent is found to result in higher participation rates and may reduce selection bias in such research (see, e.g., Anderman et al 1995;Ellikson and Hawes 1989;Eaton et al 2004;Fendrich and Johnson 2001).…”