This document discusses using technology for adolescent research. It notes that online surveys can increase self-disclosure on sensitive topics, lower social desirability bias, and collect more information compared to telephone interviews. The document also describes a case study that used an online survey to ask sensitive questions in a longitudinal, nationally representative study of adolescents and media. Considerations for implementing technology include costs, access issues, ethics, and ensuring privacy when collecting personal data online.

1. CDC Adolescents and
Technology Panel
Using Technology for Adolescent
Research
Michele Ybarra MPH PhD
Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc.
Atlanta, GA, June 11-12, 2008
* Thank you for your interest in this presentation. Please
note that analyses included herein are preliminary. More
recent, finalized analyses may be available by contacting
CiPHR for further information.

2. Why use technology?
Compared to interviewer-based methodologies
(e.g., in-person interviewer, telephone
interview), self-administered surveys tend to:
1. Have increased self-disclosure – especially about
sensitive topics (e.g., substance use)
2. Lower rates of social desirability bias
3. Can collect about 20% more information (online
vs. telephone)
(e.g., Joinson, 1998; Joinson, 1999, etc)

3. Why use technology?
Computer-based technology has many benefits
over other self-administered methodologies
including:
1. Intuitive skip patterns
2. Minimizes data entry errors
3. Minimizes missing / invalid data
4. Fewer resources necessary in a multi-site survey
(potentially)

4. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
Our goals:
 Sensitive questions (e.g., violent behavior,
substance use)
 Complex survey with lots of skips
 Longitudinal survey
 Nationally representative data
Our solution  Online survey

5. Incorporating technology
…Into sampling
 Use a computer program to track demographic
characteristics of participants to improve the ease of
balancing the sample (e.g., age, sex)
 Identification of respondents
 Computer program to randomly identify the next
household to call
 Online panels (Harris Panel OnLine)
 Online surveys aimed at understanding use (e.g.,
characteristics of users of an online depression
support group)

6. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
Our methodology plan:
 RDD survey to recruit the households
 Online survey to increase self-disclosure
29% Response Rate to the RDD (RR3 on AAPOR)
34% (35 / 103) completed the online survey

7. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
What now?
Online recruitment, online survey

8. Incorporating technology
(cont)
…Into data collection
 Web-based / computer-based data collection tools
for self-administration
 Computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI)
 PDA / text messaging (via cell phone) for “real-time”
data collection
…Into follow-up / retention of sample
 Automated email / text reminders
 Mass emails / text messages
 Personalized web site to update contact information

9. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
Incorporating technology into the data
collection:
 Mass emails to promote panel retention
 Automated follow up emails to promote response
rate
 Use of a computer program to ensure balancing of
sample on age and sex

10. Considerations for practical
implementation?
COST savings..?
 Recruitment costs related to staff costs (e.g.,
interviewers)
 Time and money to update/modify materials
 Communication with participants (e.g., email
vs. text message vs. letter)

11. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
Benefits
 Increased sample size (from 1200 to 1600)
 Increased survey length (from 20 to 25 minutes)
 Increase our panel retention efforts to two
mailings and one email reminder every year

12. Considerations for practical
implementation?
COST increases..?
 Buying computers, servers, software
 Hiring technology staff (e.g., programmers,
designers)
 Understanding the data security issues in
transmitting (e.g., HIPAA) as well as storing
(e.g., firewalls) data

13. Considerations for practical
implementation?
COST increases..?
“Cost” of using an unfamiliar methodology?

14. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
Drawbacks
 Discussion of “propensity scoring” is unfamiliar to
many
 Response rate of 26% is deemed too low by
some

15. Ethical / IRB considerations
 Consent
 Obtaining / confirming parental consent
 Waiver of documentation of consent
 Collecting personal / sensitive data
 Ensuring privacy? (Public computers,
computers at home in a public space)
 Be aware of legal restrictions (e.g., COPPA)

16. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
We used the HPOL as our sampling frame, so
the survey firm had already confirmed the
identity of their members
We included text in the consent and assent
about the importance of being in a private
space, and provided instructions on how to
‘suspend the survey’ if not in a safe place

17. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
IRB and process issues:
 Concerns about the impact of the sensitive
questions on youth, especially in an
‘uncontrolled’ environment
Privacy was an issue because of our “hand-off”
methodology
We included in the consent and “hand-off”
text about the importance of privacy, and
instructions on how to “suspend” the survey.

18. Considerations for practical
implementation
ACCESS
Internet users tend to be:
 From more affluent households
 Be of White race
 Have a higher household education
The “digital divide” is decreasing (see the US Department
of Commerce)
Among Internet users, we’re seeing disparity in
connection speed

19. Considerations for practical
implementation
ACCESS
Text messaging is increasing among adolescents.
In the GuwM survey, we saw a 45% increase
over 1 year:
 35.6% of 10-15 year olds sent and received text
messages 1+ days/week in 2006
 51.7% of them sent and received text messages 1+
days/week in 2007

20. Send and receive text messages 1+
day per week on average, by age
15% 15%
39% 38%
49% 48%
26%
37%
47%
57%
67% 68%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Wave 1 (2006)
Wave 2 (2007)

21. Cross-tabulation of child race and
cell phone ownership in 2007
(n=1,206)
51%
41% 37%
48%
15%
11% 22%
10%
11%
20%
16%
8%
24% 28% 25%
34%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
White (73%) Black / African
American (13%)
Mixed race (7%) All other (7%)
7 days
3-6 days
1-2 days
0 days
Design-based F(8.7, 10456.5) = 1.5 P = 0.13

22. Cross-tabulation of household
income and cell phone ownership in
2007 (n=1,206)
56% 54% 51%
41%
15% 18%
12%
15%
6% 7%
13%
16%
22% 22% 24% 28%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Decline to state
(7%)
$34,999 and less
(21%)
$35,000 - 74,999
(35%)
$75,000 and
higher (37%)
7 days
3-6 days
1-2 days
0 days
Design-based F(8.5, 1.7) = 1.8 P = 0.09

23. Case Study: Growing up with
Media
The focus of our study was on the influence of
violence delivered via new technologies
(e.g., video games and the Internet) on
behavior.
By definition, we wanted our child respondents
to have some level of exposure to the
Internet.

24. Quick summary
Remember:
All methodologies have limitations and biases.
You need to be very clear about what your
goals are, and what methodology will
minimize your bias while maximizing your
goals the best.