Comparison of Response Option Formats for English and Spanish Versions of an Acculturation Scale

• In Event: Analyzing Elements of Survey Design: Examinations of Validity and Response Options

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of two sets of response option formats on outcomes of the BAS acculturation scale. Using an experiment, comparisons were made for both English and Spanish language versions of the survey. Composite score differences were small or non-significant when a middle option was included with a 5-point format compared to no middle option for a 4-point format. However, when a fifth response option was included in the lower quadrant of a response scale, to create a more equally balanced response set, outcomes for the 5-point format were significantly higher than the 4-point format. Psychometric refinements can be important for constructs such as cross-culture measurement where population subgroups can be impacted differently based on their reported outcomes.

Authors

• Ronna C. Turner, University of Arkansas

• Xixi Wang, University of Arkansas

• Wen-Juo Lo, University of Arkansas

• Xiana Bueno, Indiana University

• Nana Amma Asamoah, University of Arkansas

• Brandon Crawford, Indiana University

• Kristen Jozkowski, Indiana University