Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies
Using mixed-mode data collection is becoming a mainstream way of conducting longitudinal surveys. However, interviewing the same units in a mixed-mode longitudinal design can lead to respondents switching between modes over time. As a result, mode switching behaviors can be correlated with non-resp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Survey Research Association
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Survey Research Methods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/srm/article/view/7669 |
| _version_ | 1828424416733691904 |
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| author | Alexandru Cernat Joseph W. Sakshaug |
| author_facet | Alexandru Cernat Joseph W. Sakshaug |
| author_sort | Alexandru Cernat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Using mixed-mode data collection is becoming a mainstream way of conducting longitudinal surveys. However, interviewing the same units in a mixed-mode longitudinal design can lead to respondents switching between modes over time. As a result, mode switching behaviors can be correlated with non-response and potentially influence survey responses and estimates of change in longitudinal analyses. This paper investigates the patterns by which people transition from one mode of interview to another in a nationally-representative, sequential mixed-mode (Web and face-to-face) longitudinal study. Using mixed-mode waves 5-10 of the Understanding Society Innovation Panel, we perform a latent class analysis on respondents and their mode switching behaviors. We identify five distinct classes of respondents: slow switchers, fast switchers, switch and non-response, face-to-face respondents, and Web respondents. Furthermore, we show that these classes differ with respect to respondent characteristics and significantly contribute to the prediction of future wave participation and mode of response, even after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, interview mode at the previous wave, and previous non-response behavior. Practical implications of these results are discussed and possible strategies to use this information for targeting and correcting for non-response in longitudinal studies are proposed.
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| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:17:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-127aa0c7122e43528eaecc991229129d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1864-3361 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:17:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | European Survey Research Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Survey Research Methods |
| spelling | doaj.art-127aa0c7122e43528eaecc991229129d2022-12-22T01:41:55ZengEuropean Survey Research AssociationSurvey Research Methods1864-33612021-12-0115310.18148/srm/2021.v15i3.7669Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studiesAlexandru Cernat0Joseph W. Sakshaug1University of ManchesterInstitute for Employment Research / University of Mannheim / Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Using mixed-mode data collection is becoming a mainstream way of conducting longitudinal surveys. However, interviewing the same units in a mixed-mode longitudinal design can lead to respondents switching between modes over time. As a result, mode switching behaviors can be correlated with non-response and potentially influence survey responses and estimates of change in longitudinal analyses. This paper investigates the patterns by which people transition from one mode of interview to another in a nationally-representative, sequential mixed-mode (Web and face-to-face) longitudinal study. Using mixed-mode waves 5-10 of the Understanding Society Innovation Panel, we perform a latent class analysis on respondents and their mode switching behaviors. We identify five distinct classes of respondents: slow switchers, fast switchers, switch and non-response, face-to-face respondents, and Web respondents. Furthermore, we show that these classes differ with respect to respondent characteristics and significantly contribute to the prediction of future wave participation and mode of response, even after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, interview mode at the previous wave, and previous non-response behavior. Practical implications of these results are discussed and possible strategies to use this information for targeting and correcting for non-response in longitudinal studies are proposed. https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/srm/article/view/7669mixed modeslongitudinal surveylatent class analysisnon-responseface-to-face surveyweb survey |
| spellingShingle | Alexandru Cernat Joseph W. Sakshaug Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies Survey Research Methods mixed modes longitudinal survey latent class analysis non-response face-to-face survey web survey |
| title | Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| title_full | Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| title_short | Understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| title_sort | understanding the patterns of mode switching in longitudinal studies |
| topic | mixed modes longitudinal survey latent class analysis non-response face-to-face survey web survey |
| url | https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/srm/article/view/7669 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexandrucernat understandingthepatternsofmodeswitchinginlongitudinalstudies AT josephwsakshaug understandingthepatternsofmodeswitchinginlongitudinalstudies |