Does Voice Matter for Youth Reports of Tobacco Use? An Interactive Voice Response Experiment Niki Mayo, Brenna Muldavin, and Doug Currivan May 15, 2010 RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute
Survey Mode & Youth Tobacco Use Reporting Telephone surveys on youth tobacco use yield lower estimates than school-based self-administered surveys. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) self reporting has been shown to increase youth reports of smoking in telephone surveys compared to interviewer administration. (Currivan, Nyman, Turner, and Biener, 2004; Moskowitz, 2004). 2
Disclosure Risk Youth Disclosure Risk in Telephone & School Surveys Home: Parents/other household members may overhear School: Peers might see answers Do youth really consider who might see or hear their responses when answering survey items? (adults vs peers) 3
Experiment Two IVR voices: Adult Female Voice Teenage Female Voice Couper, Singer, and Torangeau (2004) Surveyed adult respondents No differences observed among respondents when using different IVR voices Consistent differences on responses to sensitive survey items between CATI and IVR modes, similar to findings on youth smoking behavior 4
Research Questions of Interest Did youth responses to questions on smoking behavior and intentions differ based on which voice they received in IVR? Did respondent characteristics such as age, gender or race play a role in any of the differences observed? 5
Data Collection Florida Youth Cohort Tobacco Study cross-sectional, baseline interviews conducted September December 2009 Survey included list-assisted RDD and directorylisted landline phone numbers 1,546 youth age 12 to 16 participated Response rate was 15.4% (AAPOR RR 4) 6
Survey Implementation Household screening and initial demographic questions asked with live telephone interviewer Switched to IVR for pre-recorded questions regarding tobacco use Voice type was either the adult female voice or youth female voice Respondents entered answers in IVR using telephone keypad Returned to live telephone interviewer to complete the rest of the survey questions 7
Lifetime/Recent Cigarette Use (p=.1) Ever tried a cigarette Yes No Number of days smoked cigarette in past 30 days Adult Female Voice 13.4% 86.6% (n=734) Youth Female Voice 10.6% 89.4% (n=687) Didn t Smoke (0 days) Smoked (1 day or more) 52.0% 42.0% (n=77) 55.6% 44.4% (n=76) 8
Intentions to Smoke Cigarettes (p<.05) Think will smoke a cigarette during next year Definitely/probably yes Definitely/probably no Would smoke a cigarette if best friend offered it Definitely/probably yes Definitely/probably no Adult Female Voice 8.1% 91.9% (n=721) 7.6% 92.4% (n=721) Youth Female Voice 4.8% 95.2% (n=687) 4.3% 95.7% (n=692) 9
Respondent Characteristics (*p<.05) Age* 12 to 13 14 to 16 Gender Male Female Adult Female Voice (n=738) (51% of respondents) 30.8% 69.2% 49.7% 50.3% Youth Female Voice (n=706) (49% of respondents) 39.4% 60.6% 53.2% 46.8% 10
Respondent Characteristics (p<.05) Race/Ethnicity White Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic Hispanic Other Non-Hispanic Adult Female Voice (n=738) 48.3% 19.9% 25.6% 6.2% Youth Female Voice (n=706) 52.4% 16.5% 19.3% 11.8% 11
Respondent Characteristics: Cigarette Smoking & Intentions to Smoke (p<.05) Greater Reporting to the Adult Female Voice: Ever Tried a Cigarette 12 to 13 Year Olds Females Will Smoke Cigarette During the Next Year 12 to 13 Year Olds Females Black or African Americans Would Smoke Cigarette if Best Friend Offered It 12 to 13 Year Olds Females 12
Conclusions Key Assumptions Perceived audience for youth responses could significantly influence reporting based on voice type Youth more likely to disclose smoking behaviors/intentions to the youth female voice Significantly Greater Reporting of Smoking Behaviors/Intentions to the Adult Female Voice Ever tried a cigarette when examined by age and gender Intentions to smoke questions, even when examined by age, gender, and race 13
Conclusions No significantly greater reporting of smoking behaviors/intentions to the youth female voice For older youth (age 14-16), IVR voice type made no significant differences in reporting smoking behaviors or intentions Some potential exists for younger youth, females and some racial/ethnic groups to respond differently based on IVR voice type 14
Questions or Comments? Niki Mayo nmayo@rti.org Paper: /aapor 15