The effects of anonymity on the Holden Psychological Screening Inventory

The influence of anonymous versus identified responding was investigated fo r 940 male naval personnel responding to the Holden Psychological Screening Inventory, a brief, self-report screening measure of psychopathology. Anal yses indicated that identified respondents did not score significantly lowe r than anonymous respondents on the inventory's various scales of psycholog ical maladjustment. Results, therefore, failed to support the view that ano nymous responding, per se, reduces the social desirability demand character istics associated with an assessment context. It is suggested that the effe cts of anonymity may be multidimensional and that future research should mo re clearly define and operationalize the construct of anonymity. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.