Mw. Wiederman et al., THE EFFECT OF QUESTION PREFACE ON RESPONSE RATES TO A TELEPHONE SURVEY OF SEXUAL EXPERIENCE, Archives of sexual behavior, 23(2), 1994, pp. 203-215
Given the heavy reliance on self-report measures in research on sexual
ity, issues surrounding nonresponse rates are of particular importance
. Phone interviews were conducted with 400 adults living in a midsized
midwestern city. Rates of nonresponse and reported sexual experience
were analyzed as a function of the type of preface statement provided
for four questions related to sexual behavior. One preface was general
; the other referred to public concern over AIDS. On questions regardi
ng number of sexual partners in the past year and involvement in extra
marital sex, women who were given the AIDS preface were significantly
more likely to answer the questions than were women who received the g
eneral preface. However, for both men and women, reported rates of sex
ual experience did not differ as a function of the preface statement.
Differences between responders and nonresponders were explored. Men we
re more likely to respond to the sexual items. Education, age, marital
status, and religious affiliation were unrelated to rates of response
to the sexual questions. For men, responders to the sexuality items r
eported greater yearly incomes than did nonresponders. Some difference
s in reported sexual behavior were also found between responders and n
onresponders; nonresponders consistently reported less sexual experien
ce. Implications for research on sexuality and future investigation of
factors affecting response to sexual items are discussed.