Title
Effects of Anonymity versus Examinee Name on a Measure of Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents
Date Issued
01 July 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Merino-Soto C.
Toledano-Toledano F.
Nabors L.A.
Rodrígez-Castro J.H.
Hernández-Salinas G.
Núñez-Benítez M.Á.
Publisher(s)
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Abstract
There is evidence in the literature that anonymity when investigating individual variables could increase the objectivity of the measurement of some psychosocial constructs. However, there is a significant gap in the literature on the theoretical and methodological usefulness of simultaneously assessing the same measurement instrument across two groups, with one group remaining anonymous and a second group revealing identities using names. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the psychometric characteristics of a measure of depressive symptoms in two groups of adolescents as a consequence of identification or anonymity at the time of answering the measuring instrument. The participants were 189 adolescents from Metropolitan Lima; classrooms were randomly assigned to the identified group (n = 89; application requesting to write one’s own name) or to the anonymous group (n = 100; application under usual conditions), who responded to the Childhood Depression Inventory, short version (CDI-S). Univariate characteristics (mean, dispersion, distribution), dimensionality, reliability, and measurement invariance were analyzed. Specific results in each of the statistical and psychometric aspects evaluated indicated strong psychometric similarity. The practical and ethical implications of the present results for professional and research activity are discussed.
Volume
9
Issue
7
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Pediatría
Psicología (incluye relaciones hombre-máquina)
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85133607817
Source
Children
ISSN of the container
22279067
Sponsor(s)
Funding: This work is one of the results of the research project HIM/2015/017/SSA.1207, “Effects of mindfulness training on psychological distress and quality of life of the family caregiver”. Main researcher: Filiberto Toledano-Toledano, Ph.D. The present research was funded by federal funds for health research and was approved by the Commissions of Research, Ethics and Biosafety (Comisiones de Investigación, Ética y Bioseguridad), Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health. The source of federal funds did not influence the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or decisions regarding publication.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus