Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure
Abstract Background Social desirability bias is one of the oldest forms of response bias studied in social sciences. While individuals may feel the need to fake good or bad answers in response to sensitive or intrusive questions, it remains unclear how rampant such a bias is in epidemiological resea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15309-3 |
| _version_ | 1797863301680463872 |
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| author | Wen Lin Teh Edimansyah Abdin Asharani P.V. Fiona Devi Siva Kumar Kumarasan Roystonn Peizhi Wang Saleha Shafie Sherilyn Chang Anitha Jeyagurunathan Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar Chee Fang Sum Eng Sing Lee Rob M. van Dam Mythily Subramaniam |
| author_facet | Wen Lin Teh Edimansyah Abdin Asharani P.V. Fiona Devi Siva Kumar Kumarasan Roystonn Peizhi Wang Saleha Shafie Sherilyn Chang Anitha Jeyagurunathan Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar Chee Fang Sum Eng Sing Lee Rob M. van Dam Mythily Subramaniam |
| author_sort | Wen Lin Teh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Social desirability bias is one of the oldest forms of response bias studied in social sciences. While individuals may feel the need to fake good or bad answers in response to sensitive or intrusive questions, it remains unclear how rampant such a bias is in epidemiological research pertaining to self-reported lifestyle indicators in a multicultural Asian context. The main purpose of the current study is, therefore, to examine the sociodemographic correlates and impact of social desirability responding on self-reported physical activity and dietary habits at an epidemiological scale in a non-western multi-cultural Asian setting. Methods Prior to the main analyses, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to determine the factorial validity of a western derived concept of social desirability. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on cross-sectional data (n = 2995) extracted from a nationwide survey conducted between 2019 and 2020. Results A unique factor structure of social desirability was found and was therefore used for subsequent analyses. Multiple regression analyses revealed older age groups, the Indian ethnic group, those with past or present marriages, and having no income, had a significantly greater tendency to act on the bias. Conclusion The construct of social desirability bias was fundamentally different in a multicultural context than previously understood. Only a small proportion of variance of self-report lifestyle scores was explained by social desirability, thus providing support for data integrity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:34:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed8f9f9ae1374bafbb091e785cf41ba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:34:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed8f9f9ae1374bafbb091e785cf41ba22023-03-22T12:37:26ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-03-0123111010.1186/s12889-023-15309-3Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structureWen Lin Teh0Edimansyah Abdin1Asharani P.V.2Fiona Devi Siva Kumar3Kumarasan Roystonn4Peizhi Wang5Saleha Shafie6Sherilyn Chang7Anitha Jeyagurunathan8Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar9Chee Fang Sum10Eng Sing Lee11Rob M. van Dam12Mythily Subramaniam13Research Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthAdmiralty Medical Centre, Khoo Teck Puat HospitalNational Healthcare Group PolyclinicsSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental HealthAbstract Background Social desirability bias is one of the oldest forms of response bias studied in social sciences. While individuals may feel the need to fake good or bad answers in response to sensitive or intrusive questions, it remains unclear how rampant such a bias is in epidemiological research pertaining to self-reported lifestyle indicators in a multicultural Asian context. The main purpose of the current study is, therefore, to examine the sociodemographic correlates and impact of social desirability responding on self-reported physical activity and dietary habits at an epidemiological scale in a non-western multi-cultural Asian setting. Methods Prior to the main analyses, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to determine the factorial validity of a western derived concept of social desirability. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on cross-sectional data (n = 2995) extracted from a nationwide survey conducted between 2019 and 2020. Results A unique factor structure of social desirability was found and was therefore used for subsequent analyses. Multiple regression analyses revealed older age groups, the Indian ethnic group, those with past or present marriages, and having no income, had a significantly greater tendency to act on the bias. Conclusion The construct of social desirability bias was fundamentally different in a multicultural context than previously understood. Only a small proportion of variance of self-report lifestyle scores was explained by social desirability, thus providing support for data integrity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15309-3Marlowe-crowneMCSDSSocial desirabilityMulti-ethnicAsiaCFA |
| spellingShingle | Wen Lin Teh Edimansyah Abdin Asharani P.V. Fiona Devi Siva Kumar Kumarasan Roystonn Peizhi Wang Saleha Shafie Sherilyn Chang Anitha Jeyagurunathan Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar Chee Fang Sum Eng Sing Lee Rob M. van Dam Mythily Subramaniam Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure BMC Public Health Marlowe-crowne MCSDS Social desirability Multi-ethnic Asia CFA |
| title | Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure |
| title_full | Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure |
| title_fullStr | Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure |
| title_short | Measuring social desirability bias in a multi-ethnic cohort sample: its relationship with self-reported physical activity, dietary habits, and factor structure |
| title_sort | measuring social desirability bias in a multi ethnic cohort sample its relationship with self reported physical activity dietary habits and factor structure |
| topic | Marlowe-crowne MCSDS Social desirability Multi-ethnic Asia CFA |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15309-3 |
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