Hello Rosieme,
Why is it important to include positive and negative statements in the
questionnaires?
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Positively and negatively worded items on a questionnaire are used to
control response sets in the respondents.
“Alternation of positively and negatively worded questions on attitude
surveys is frequently employed to combat response sets in the
respondents. The ratings on negatively worded items are reversed so
that a total positively-oriented score is obtained.”
Source: Positive vs. Negative Wording - Yamaguchi J. (1997)
Rasch Measurement Transactions
http://www.rasch.org/rmt/rmt112h.htm
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“A pattern of consistent responses based on format rather than the
trait being measured (e.g., agreeing to every statement once this
response pattern is established). This may be controlled by using both
positively and negatively worded items so that a response set is not
possible.”
Jeffrey Oescher: University of New Orleans.
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:oHnW4xQeO98C:www.educ.andrews.edu/kijai/jkijai/EDRM505_2001/lesson8.pdf+importance+of++Negatively+Worded+Items+on+a+questionnaire&hl=es&ie=UTF-8
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In the article 2Factor Analysis and Negatively Worded Items” by Craig
V. King, he describes how a response set is reduced with negatively
and positively worded items.
“In an effort to reduce response set, or response bias, measurement
experts (e.g., Nunnaly, 1967) recommended using negatively and
positively worded items when measuring the same construct. Response
set occurs when respondents fail to discriminate among the items and
respond to every question in the same manner.
(..)
In an effort to ensure that the respondents were reading the questions
in a thoughtful manner, negatively worded items should be included.
The argument was that respondents who failed to recognize the reversal
of the items could be identified as engaging in some type of response
bias and could be removed from the sample, therefore providing a
method by which researchers could increase the accuracy of the data
being analyzed. The logic of reversing the wording of particular items
and then recoding them to be consistent with the remaining items
has a certain intuitive appeal. Researchers would all like to ensure
that individuals are providing information based on thoughtful
responses.”
Populus: Research
http://www.populus.com/tech_papers/fa&_neg_worded.pdf
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Wording Issues in Measurement
“Wording is important to survey instrument construct and behavior
measurement. The purpose of the words chosen is to communicate
explicit meaning as efficiently as possible (Ebel, 1980). However,
problems are found in practice when negative and positive wording are
used together or when similar worded items were used in measuring
attitude and behavior.”
Including both positively and negatively worded items makes the
questionnaire more valid.
“Including Negative and positive wording is also a concern in health
education research. The use of equal negative and positive worded
items on personality, attitude, and other rating scale instruments is
the rule in test construct used and recommended by many researchers
and text books (e.g., shiffman & Jarvik, 1976; Tiffany & Drobes, 1991;
Mueller, 1985; Anastasi, 1988; Mehrens & Lehmann, 1991). This
construction of a questionnaire is said to result in a more
psychometrically sound instrument because positively and negatively
worded items are measuring the same construct, and including both of
them makes the questionnaire more valid.”
I highly recommend that you read this complete paper as I cannot copy
the complete study here.
Source:
Selected Critical Measurement and Statistical Issues in Health
Education Evaluation and Research
Mohammad R. Torabi, Ph.D., M.P.H., C.H.E.S. ; Kele Ding, M.S., MD.
Chancellor’s Professor and Assistant Department Chairperson, Indiana
University
The International Journal of Health Education
http://131.230.221.136/iejhe/paid/1998/number1/pdf/torabi.pdf
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Rowe Behavioural Rating Inventory (Rowe and Rowe 1995)
“This scale was initially designed to measure children’s reactions to
synthetic food colorings. It incorporates parent and teacher ratings
of behavior including attention and activity. The interesting feature
of these scales is the fact that items are both positively and
negatively worded and may therefore control for the skewed
distributions that often occur with negatively-worded rating scales.”
Source: Australian Department of health and Aging
http://www.health.gov.au/nhmrc/publications/adhd/part12.htm
Positively and negatively worded items are addressed on the first page
of this study.
Distinguishing Optimism from Pessimism in Older Adults:
Is It More Important to Be Optimistic or Not to Be Pessimistic?
Susan Robinson-Whelen, Cheongtag Kim, Robert C. MacCallum, and Janice
K. Kiecolt-Glaser
Ohio State University
http://pni.psychiatry.ohio-state.edu/jkg/pdf/115.pdf
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Thank you for your question and I hope this response has helped you
with your research. If anything I have written is not clear, please
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Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga |
