Does mode of administration matter? Comparison of online and face-to-face administration of a time trade-off task

Presenter: Paula Cronin, CHERE, University of Techology, Sydney

Abstract

Purpose: Developments in electronic data collection methods have allowed researchers to generate larger datasets at lower costs. This paper considers the comparability of two modes of administration (face-to-face and remote electronic) for the Time Trade-Off.

Method: Data was collected from a convenient sample of adults (n=135) randomised to either a face-to-face Time Trade-Off or a remote electronic tool. Patterns of responses were considered. For each sample, standard regression analysis was undertaken to generate a valuation set for use in economic evaluation, which were then contrasted.

Results: The pattern of responses differed by mode of administration with larger proportions of responses in the electronic tool at -1, 0 and 1. The impact of this on the regression was difficult to disentangle from the high variability around individual scores of states which is common to Time Trade-Off task.

Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates the importance of mode of administration for complex and cognitively challenging tasks such as the Time Trade-Off. Therefore, comparison of results stemming from different modes of administration should be pursued with caution.