Does Telephone Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing Improve the Accuracy of Prevalence Estimates of Youth Smoking?: Evidence from the UMass Tobacco Study

This study describes a method for collecting data from nonliterate, non-English-speaking populations. Our audio computer-assisted self-interview instrument with color-labeled response categories was designed for use with helper assistance. The study included 30 dyads of nonliterate older Hmong respondents and family helpers answering questions about health. Analysis of video recordings identified respondents’ problems and helpers’ strategies to address these problems. Seven dyads displayed the paradigmatic question–answer sequence for all items, while 23 departed from the paradigmatic sequence at least once. Reports and pauses were the most common signs of problems displayed by respondents. Paraphrasing questions or response categories and providing examples were the most common helper strategies. Future research could assess the impact of helpers’ strategies on data quality.

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Sexually Active HIV-Positive Patients Frequently Report Never Using Condoms in Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews Conducted at Routine Clinical Visits

AIDS Patient Care and STDs ◽

10.1089/apc.2007.0037 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 123-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Bruce R. Schackman ◽

Zubin Dastur ◽

Quanhong Ni ◽

Mark A. Callahan ◽

Judith Berger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Positive ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Sexually Active ◽

Audio Computer

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The Carryover Effects of Preceding Interviewer–Respondent Interaction on Responses in Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI)

Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology ◽

10.1093/jssam/smaa019 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hanyu Sun ◽

Frederick G Conrad ◽

Frauke Kreuter

Keyword(s):

Social Presence ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Sensitive Information ◽

Carryover Effects ◽

Face To Face ◽

Audio Recordings ◽

The Face ◽

Audio Computer ◽

Main Effects ◽

The Impact

Abstract Audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) has been widely used to collect sensitive information from respondents in face-to-face interviews. Interviewers ask questions that are not sensitive or only moderately sensitive and then allow respondents to self-administer more sensitive questions, listening to audio recordings of the questions and typically entering their responses directly into the same device that the interviewer has used. According to the conventional thinking, ACASI is taken as independent of the face-to-face interaction that almost always precedes it. Presumably as a result of this presumed independence, the respondents’ prior interaction with the interviewer is rarely considered when assessing the quality of ACASI responses. There is no body of existing research that has experimentally investigated how the preceding interviewer–respondent interaction may create sufficient social presence to affect responses in the subsequent ACASI module. The study reported here, a laboratory experiment with eight professional interviewers and 125 respondents, explores the carryover effects of preceding interactions between interviewer and respondent on responses in the subsequent ACASI. We evaluated the impact of the similarity of the live and recorded interviewer’s voice for each respondent as well as respondents’ rapport with interviewers in the preceding interview. We did not find significant main effects of vocal similarity on disclosure in ACASI. However, we found significant interaction effects between vocal similarity and respondents’ rapport ratings in the preceding interview on disclosure in ACASI. When the ACASI voice was similar to the interviewer’s voice in the preceding interaction, respondent-rated rapport led to more disclosure but, when the ACASI voice is clearly different from the interviewer’s voice, respondent-rated rapport in the prior interaction did not affect disclosure.

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Process and implementation of Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI) assessments in low resource settings: a case example from Zambia

Global Mental Health ◽

10.1017/gmh.2016.19 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

J. C. Kane ◽

L. K. Murray ◽

S. Sughrue ◽

J. DeMulder ◽

S. Skavenski van Wyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Self Report ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Middle Income ◽

Orphans And Vulnerable Children ◽

Barriers And Challenges ◽

Audio Computer

Background.Studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) indicate that the use of audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) is associated with more accurate reporting of sensitive behaviors (e.g. substance use and sexual risk behaviors) compared with interviewer-administered questionnaires. There is a lack of published information on the process of designing, developing, and implementing ACASI in LMIC. In this paper we describe our experience implementing an ACASI system for use with a population of orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.Methods.A questionnaire of mental health, substance use, and HIV risk behaviors was converted into an ACASI system, tested in pilot and validity studies, and implemented for use in a randomized controlled trial. Successes, barriers, and challenges associated with each stage in the development and implementation of ACASI are described.Results.We were able to convert a lengthy and complex survey into an ACASI system that was feasible for use in Zambia. Lessons learned include the importance of: (1) piloting the written and electronic versions; (2) proper and extensive training for study assessors to use ACASI and for those doing voice recordings; and (3) attention to logistics such as appropriate space, internet, and power.Conclusions.We found that ACASI was feasible and acceptable in Zambia with proper planning, training, and supervision. Given mounting evidence indicating that ACASI provides more accurate self-report data and immediate data download compared with interview-administered measures, it may be an effective and economical alternative for behavioral health research studies in LMIC.

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