Are Divorce Studies Trustworthy? The Effects of Survey Nonresponse and Response Errors
Saved in:
| Title: | Are Divorce Studies Trustworthy? The Effects of Survey Nonresponse and Response Errors |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mitchell, Colter |
| Source: | Journal of Marriage and Family. Aug 2010 72(4):893-905. |
| Availability: | Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Physical Description: | |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Divorce, Child Custody, Research, Surveys, Responses, Error Patterns, Predictor Variables, Models, Life Satisfaction, Gender Differences, Marital Status, Educational Attainment, Marital Satisfaction |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00737.x |
| ISSN: | 0022-2445 |
| Abstract: | Researchers rely on relationship data to measure the multifaceted nature of families. This article speaks to relationship data quality by examining the ramifications of different types of error on divorce estimates, models predicting divorce behavior, and models employing divorce as a predictor. Comparing matched survey and divorce certificate information from the 1995 Life Events and Satisfaction Study (N = 1,811) showed that nonresponse error is responsible for the majority of the error in divorce data. Misreporting the divorce event was rare, and more than two thirds of respondents provided a divorce date within 6 months of the actual date. Nevertheless, divorce date error attenuated effects of time since divorce on outcomes. Gender, child custody, marital history, and education were associated with divorce error. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 35 |
| Entry Date: | 2010 |
| Accession Number: | EJ889780 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Researchers rely on relationship data to measure the multifaceted nature of families. This article speaks to relationship data quality by examining the ramifications of different types of error on divorce estimates, models predicting divorce behavior, and models employing divorce as a predictor. Comparing matched survey and divorce certificate information from the 1995 Life Events and Satisfaction Study (N = 1,811) showed that nonresponse error is responsible for the majority of the error in divorce data. Misreporting the divorce event was rare, and more than two thirds of respondents provided a divorce date within 6 months of the actual date. Nevertheless, divorce date error attenuated effects of time since divorce on outcomes. Gender, child custody, marital history, and education were associated with divorce error. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0022-2445 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00737.x |
