Investigating the Relative Impact of Different Sources of Measurement Non-Equivalence in Comparative Surveys. An Illustration with Scale Format, Data Collection Mode and Cross-National Variations

Different factors are known to affect the comparability of multinational, multicultural and multiregional (‘3MC’) survey data. These include factors relevant to the design of the questionnaire in different contexts (such as cultural differences in how a concept is understood, inaccurate or approximate translations of concepts, and variant adaptations to question formats). Others include factors relating to the survey design in general and how it is implemented across contexts (such as sample design, choice of mode(s), and contact strategies). Together, they contribute item, method and construct biases that can affect the invariance of composite measures. While research to date has looked at the effects of these factors on measurement invariance individually, there have been few attempts to compare them directly and assess their relative impact. To illustrate how this can be done, the present paper tests for measurement invariance in a subjective wellbeing measure across question formats, modes, languages, and countries, combining European Social Survey data from designed and natural experiments (resulting from the use of variant question formulations and translations) from Germany, Switzerland and France. Overall, we find translation errors, language and culture to be bigger sources of non-equivalence than question format and mode. The findings have implications for both survey designers making decisions about optimal resource allocation in the design of 3MC studies, as well as for comparative analysts interested in comparing countries with shared languages and interpreting cross-group differences

Wishes or Constraints? Mothers' Labour Force Participation and its Motivation in Switzerland

The aim of this article is to estimate the impact of various factors related to role conflict theory and preference theory on the reduction of women's labour force participation after their transition to parenthood. Objective and subjective dimensions of women's labour force participation are assessed. The empirical test is based on a survey of couples with children in Switzerland. Results show that compared to structural factors associated with role conflict reduction, preferences have little impact on mothers' labour force participation, but explain a good deal of their frustration if the factual situation does not correspond to their wishes. Structural factors, such as occupation, economic resources, childcare, and an urban environment, support mothers' labour force participation, whereas active networks and a home centred lifestyle preference help them to cope with frustration

Non-respondent surveys: pertinence and feasibility

Among the techniques to address the problem of unit-nonresponse in surveys, short follow-ups for nonrespondents have not (yet) a strong tradition. They are however a promising way to document and possibly correct for non-response bias, so that it can be interesting to put aside a small part of the overall budget to implement them. This contribution relates a longer series of experiences from non-respondent surveys as follow-ups of long face-to-face general social surveys in Switzerland. It shows the great opportunities offered, but also the challenges that have to be faced when opting for this approach

Webdatanet : Innovation and quality in web-based data collection

The article discusses the development of WEBDATANET established in 2011 which aims to create a multidisciplinary network of web-based data collection experts in Europe. Topics include the presence of 190 experts in 30 European countries and abroad, the establishment of web-based teaching and discussion platforms and working groups and task forces. Also discussed is the scope of the research carried by WEBDATANET. In light of the growing importance of web-based data in the social and behavioral sciences, WEBDATANET was established in 2011 as a COST Action (IS 1004) to create a multidisciplinary network of web-based data collection experts: (web) survey methodologists, psychologists, sociologists, linguists, economists, Internet scientists, media and public opinion researchers. The aim was to accumulate and synthesize knowledge regarding methodological issues of web-based data collection (surveys, experiments, tests, non-reactive data, and mobile Internet research), and foster its scientific usage in a broader community

Cohésion, régulation et conflits dans les familles contemporaines. Rapport final n°5004-047772-1 Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique

Ce rapport constitue une première analyse des données récoltées grâce au subside FNRSn°5004-47772-1. L’étude présentée ici constitue un des premiers essais, en Europe du moins, d’appréhender sur une base socio-démographique assez large les genres de fonctionnement des couples et les difficultés qui leur sont éventuellement associées. L’utilité d’une telle démarche, tant pour la constitution de la sociologie de la famille que pour les multiples instances qui interviennent auprès des familles (thérapeutes de famille, conseillers, psychologues, etc.), paraît évidente; elle comporte aussi ses risques, dans la mesure où l’on ne peut guère, par le biais de questionnaires extensifs, approfondir les problèmes que rencontrent les familles dans le mode de gestion de leurs perturbations. Cette étude appelle donc des démarches complémentaires, utilisant d’autres méthodes (voir les projets des équipes Kaiser et Perez). Il est vraiment important, cependant, de pouvoir disposer d’une étude à large échelle reliant la position sociale des couples, leur style de relations et les problèmes qu’ils rencontrent. C’est là l’ambition de la présente recherche

Incentives in surveys

This FORS guide discusses the effect of incentives on survey completion/response rate, sample composition, and response quality. The guide particularly emphasizes the effects of different types of incentives – conditional vs. unconditional, monetary vs. non-monetary – for encouraging survey participation and reducing panel survey attrition in the Swiss context

Pain Reactivity and Plasma β-Endorphin in Children and Adolescents with Autistic Disorder

International audienceBackground: Reports of reduced pain sensitivity in autism have prompted opioid theories of autism and have practical care ramifications. Our objective was to examine behavioral and physiological pain responses, plasma β-endorphin levels and their relationship in a large group of individuals with autism.Methodology/Principal Findings: The study was conducted on 73 children and adolescents with autism and 115 normal individuals matched for age, sex and pubertal stage. Behavioral pain reactivity of individuals with autism was assessed in three observational situations (parents at home, two caregivers at day-care, a nurse and child psychiatrist during blood drawing), and compared to controls during venepuncture. Plasma β-endorphin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. A high proportion of individuals with autism displayed absent or reduced behavioral pain reactivity at home (68.6%), at day-care (34.2%) and during venepuncture (55.6%). Despite their high rate of absent behavioral pain reactivity during venepuncture (41.3 vs. 8.7% of controls, P<0.0001), individuals with autism displayed a significantly increased heart rate in response to venepuncture (P<0.05). Moreover, this response (Δ heart rate) was significantly greater than for controls (mean±SEM; 6.4±2.5 vs. 1.3±0.8 beats/min, P<0.05). Plasma β-endorphin levels were higher in the autistic group (P<0.001) and were positively associated with autism severity (P<0.001) and heart rate before or after venepuncture (P<0.05), but not with behavioral pain reactivity.Conclusions/Significance: The greater heart rate response to venepuncture and the elevated plasma β-endorphin found in individuals with autism reflect enhanced physiological and biological stress responses that are dissociated from observable emotional and behavioral reactions. The results suggest strongly that prior reports of reduced pain sensitivity in autism are related to a different mode of pain expression rather than to an insensitivity or endogenous analgesia, and do not support opioid theories of autism. Clinical care practice and hypotheses regarding underlying mechanisms need to assume that children with autism are sensitive to pain

A Short Receptor Downregulates JAK/STAT Signalling to Control the Drosophila Cellular Immune Response

Regulation of JAK/STAT signalling by a short, nonsignalling receptor in Drosophila modulates response to specific immune challenges such as parasitoid infestations

Tissue Resources for the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes

In order to generate an atlas of the functional elements driving genome expression in domestic animals, the Functional Annotation of Animal Genome (FAANG) strategy was to sample many tissues from a few animals of different species, sexes, ages, and production stages. This article presents the collection of tissue samples for four species produced by two pilot projects, at INRAE (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment) and the University of California, Davis. There were three mammals (cattle, goat, and pig) and one bird (chicken). It describes the metadata characterizing these reference sets (1) for animals with origin and selection history, physiological status, and environmental conditions; (2) for samples with collection site and tissue/cell processing; (3) for quality control; and (4) for storage and further distribution. Three sets are identified: set 1 comprises tissues for which collection can be standardized and for which representative aliquots can be easily distributed (liver, spleen, lung, heart, fat depot, skin, muscle, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells); set 2 comprises tissues requiring special protocols because of their cellular heterogeneity (brain, digestive tract, secretory organs, gonads and gametes, reproductive tract, immune tissues, cartilage); set 3 comprises specific cell preparations (immune cells, tracheal epithelial cells). Dedicated sampling protocols were established and uploaded in https://data.faang.org/protocol/samples. Specificities between mammals and chicken are described when relevant. A total of 73 different tissues or tissue sections were collected, and 21 are common to the four species. Having a common set of tissues will facilitate the transfer of knowledge within and between species and will contribute to decrease animal experimentation. Combining data on the same samples will facilitate data integration. Quality control was performed on some tissues with RNA extraction and RNA quality control. More than 5,000 samples have been stored with unique identifiers, and more than 4,000 were uploaded onto the Biosamples database, provided that standard ontologies were available to describe the sample. Many tissues have already been used to implement FAANG assays, with published results. All samples are available without restriction for further assays. The requesting procedure is described. Members of FAANG are encouraged to apply a range of molecular assays to characterize the functional status of collected samples and share their results, in line with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles

European Social Survey, Switzerland - 2021 (Round 10)

The ESS survey (European Social Survey, http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org) emerged from the need to obtain comparative data in Europe on a number of issues of political science, sociology, social psychology, mass communication or economics. The ESS is a study introduced in 2002 and replicated every two years. This is the tenth edition of the study in Switzerland. The ESS provides indicators on the practices and representations of the Swiss population, making it possible to compare them with European countries and to observe the evolution over time. The ESS 2021 R10 edition focuses on 'Democracy' and 'Digital social contacts'. As the field has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a specific small module on this topic has been added. The fielded modules of Round 10 are: A) Media and social trust B) Politics C) Subjective well-being, social exclusion, religion, national identity F) Socio demographics D) Democracy G) Digital social contacts H) Human values I) Test questions K) COVID-19 V) Interview method and experience J) Interviewer self-completion question