Effects of a Neutral Answer Choice on the Reliability and Validity of Attitude and Opinion Items
Year: 1997
Type: article
Abstract: : The objective of this study is to determine whether a middle alternative in the response choices to a questionnaire influences the reliability and validity of survey responses. A 32-item questionnaire regarding maternity care was administered to a sample of 1,390 persons consisting of 597 physicians, 723 nurses, and 70 midwives. The sample was randomly divided into two groups, one receiving a questionnaire with five answer choices, including a middle option, and the other receiving a similar questionnaire but without the middle option. Results showed that including a neutral option had little effect on overall reliability and validity; however, it did allow better psychometric coherence when the items were considered globally. The effect of the middle option also depends on the opinions the surveyed persons hold about the study issue.
DOI: 10.3138/cjpe.12.004
Institution: Université de Montréal
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W278773201