Sampling the reluctant participant: A random-sample response-rate study ofmen and sexual coercion

Past research has documented the difficulty associated with mail surveys in general, and with the rates of male participation, especially if the topic involves sensitive materials. Our study varied incentive value and whether participants received a letter of introduction. We adopted most of the str ingent survey-design characteristics recommended by Dillman (1991). The res ults suggest that a letter of introduction significantly increased the resp onse rare. Additionally, a smaller monetary incentive did as well as did a larger one. Despite a maximum participation rate of only 22%, the sample wa s successful in representing men across the: age span. Some important diffe rences from men in the: general population were found on demographic and at titudinal variables, however, the generalizability was still improved well beyond the college male.