Harnessing Technology in Schools Survey 2007: technical report

This technical report provides a detailed review of the methods used and the data gathered for this survey. The report also provides copies of the research instruments used in this survey

The effect of mode and context on survey results: analysis of data from the Health Survey for England 2006 and the Boost Survey for London.

BACKGROUND: Health-related data at local level could be provided by supplementing national health surveys with local boosts. Self-completion surveys are less costly than interviews, enabling larger samples to be achieved for a given cost. However, even when the same questions are asked with the same wording, responses to survey questions may vary by mode of data collection. These measurement differences need to be investigated further. METHODS: The Health Survey for England in London ('Core') and a London Boost survey ('Boost') used identical sampling strategies but different modes of data collection. Some data were collected by face-to-face interview in the Core and by self-completion in the Boost; other data were collected by self-completion questionnaire in both, but the context differed. Results were compared by mode of data collection using two approaches. The first examined differences in results that remained after adjusting the samples for differences in response. The second compared results after using propensity score matching to reduce any differences in sample composition. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two samples for prevalence of some variables including long-term illness, limiting long-term illness, current rates of smoking, whether participants drank alcohol, and how often they usually drank. However, there were a number of differences, some quite large, between some key measures including: general health, GHQ12 score, portions of fruit and vegetables consumed, levels of physical activity, and, to a lesser extent, smoking consumption, the number of alcohol units reported consumed on the heaviest day of drinking in the last week and perceived social support (among women only). CONCLUSION: Survey mode and context can both affect the responses given. The effect is largest for complex question modules but was also seen for identical self-completion questions. Some data collected by interview and self-completion can be safely combined

The relationship between problematic gambling severity and engagement with gambling products: longitudinal analysis of the Emerging Adults Gambling Survey

Background/Aims: To measure the association between problem gambling severity and nineteen different gambling activities among emerging adults (aged 16-26). Design: An online non-probability longitudinal survey collecting data in two waves: wave 1, July/August 2019; wave 2, July/September 2020. Setting: Great Britain Participants: 2080 emerging adults participating in both waves. Measurements: Problem gambling scores were collected using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Binary variables recorded past year participation in nineteen different gambling forms, ranging from lotteries to online casino and gambling-like practices within digital games (e.g., loot box purchase, skin betting). Controls included socio-demographic/economic characteristics, the Eysenck Impulsivity Scale and the number of gambling activities undertaken. Findings: Zero inflated negative binomial model lacked evidence of an effect between past year participation in any individual activities and subsequent PGSI scores. However, negative binomial random effects models for current gamblers (n=497) showed that skin betting (Incidence-Rate Ratio [IRR] 2.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69-3.19), Fixed Odd Betting Terminals (IRR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.61-3.05), slot/fruit machines (IRR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.07-1.91), online betting on horse/dog races (IRR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.17-2.00) and online betting on non-sports events (IRR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.11-1.89) were associated with increased PGSI scores. Online casino gambling had a significant interaction by wave: the impact of online casino betting in wave 2 on PGSI scores increased by a factor of 1.61. Conclusions: Past year participation of emerging adults (aged 16-26) in certain forms of gambling does not appear to be associated with future Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores. Among emerging adults who are current gamblers, past year participation in certain land-based (e.g. electronic gambling machines) and online forms (e.g. skin betting) of gambling appears to be strongly associated with elevated PGSI scores

What predicts persistent early conduct problems? Evidence from the Growing Up in Scotland cohort

Background: There is a strong case for early identification of factors predicting life-course-persistent conduct disorder. The authors aimed to identify factors associated with repeated parental reports of preschool conduct problems. Method: Nested caseecontrol study of Scottish children who had behavioural data reported by parents at 3, 4 and 5 years. Results: 79 children had abnormal conduct scores at all three time points ('persistent conduct problems') and 434 at one or two points ('inconsistent conduct problems'). 1557 children never had abnormal scores. Compared with children with no conduct problems, children with reported problems were significantly more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy. They were less likely to be living with both parents and more likely to be in poor general health, to have difficulty being understood, to have a parent who agrees that smacking is sometimes necessary and to be taken to visit other people with children rarely. The results for children with persistent and inconsistent conduct problems were similar, but associations with poverty and maternal smoking were significantly less strong in the inconsistent group. Conclusion: These factors may be valuable in early identification of risk of major social difficulties