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I. Item content, scaling, and data analytical options.Schroder KE, Carey MP, Vanable PA.Center for Health and Behavior Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-2340, USA. Investigation of sexual behavior
involves many challenges, including how to assess sexual behavior and how
to analyze the resulting data. Sexual behavior can be assessed using absolute
frequency measures (also known as counts) or with relative frequency measures
(e.g., rating scales that range from never to always). We discuss these
2 assessment approaches in the context of research on HIV risk behavior.
We conclude that these 2 approaches yield nonredundant information and,
more important, that only data yielding information about the absolute
frequency of risk behavior have the potential to serve as valid indicators
of HIV contraction risk. However, analyses of count data may be challenging
because of non-normal distributions with many outliers. Therefore, we identify
new and powerful data analytical solutions that have been developed recently
to analyze count data and discuss limitations of a commonly applied method
(viz., analysis of covariance using baseline scores as covariates).
II. Accuracy of self-reports.Schroder KE, Carey MP, Vanable PA.Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-2340, USA. Assessing sexual behavior with self-report is essential to research on a variety of health topics, including pregnancy and infertility, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual health and functioning. Recent methodological research has provided new insights regarding the accuracy of self-reports of sexual behavior. We review these studies, paying particular attention to a promising new development: the use of computer-assisted assessments. The collection of sexual risk behavior data with computers has increased dramatically in recent years, but little is known about the accuracy of such assessments. We summarize the evidence, discuss methodological issues that arise in studies evaluating the accuracy of self-reports, and offer recommendations for future research. Ann Behav Med. 2003 Oct; 26(2): 104-23. |
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