The reliability and validity of questionnaire delivery mode

Social Science research often investigates sensitive behaviours and the potential impact they may have on broader societal functioning. Sensitive behaviours are those that are concerned with private stressful or sacred issues and which may elicit emotional responses. Valid and reliable methods for obtaining accurate sensitive information are essential in order to generate accurate prevalence rates of risky behaviours. This research was concerned with using an experimental cross-sectional between subjects research design in order to compare three Questionnaire Delivery Modes (QDMs) in obtaining sensitive information from a University student population. The specific sensitive behaviours of concern were those linked to risky sexual practices and alcohol consumption. Disclosure rates of sensitive behaviours were used to compare the QDMs. A further subsidiary aim of this research was to explore the difference in social desirability bias and experience of participation across the three different Questionnaire Delivery Modes.