Comparing electronic-keypad responses to paper-and-pencil questionnaires in group assessments of alcohol consumption and related attitudes

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.03.004 Byline: Joseph LaBrie (a), Mitch Earleywine (b), Toby Lamb (a), Kristin Shelesky (a) Keywords: Handheld keypads; Self-report questionnaires; Assesstment; Alcohol consumption; Social norms; College students Abstract: Electronic versions of questionnaires have the potential to improve research and interventions in the addictions. Administering questionnaires electronically to groups, however, has proven difficult without a multitude of computers, but gathering data electronically from a group could make for easy assessment and quick feedback. Using a sample of 107 college students, we examined the validity of wireless keypad survey responses by comparing them to traditional paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The two formats led to almost identical responses that did not differ significantly from each other (all effect sizes less than g =.15) and high correlations between formats. The wireless, handheld keypad procedure appears to generate data that are as valid as questionnaire responses and permit rapid feedback to groups, as well as easy, human error-free data entry for analysis. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States (b) University at Albany, State University of New York, Department of Psychology, United States