Reliability,equivalence and respondent preference of computerized versus paper-and-pencil mental health questionnaires

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability, equivalence and respondent preference of a computerized version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOSSSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Utrecht Coping List (UCL) in comparison with the original version in a general adult population. Internal consistency, equivalence and preference between both administration modes was assessed in a group of participants (n = 130) who first completed the computerized questionnaire, followed by the traditional questionnaire and a post-assessment evaluation measure. Test–retest reliability was measured in a second group of participants (n = 115), who completed the computerized questionnaire twice. In both groups, the interval between first and second administration was set at one week. Reliability of the PC versions was acceptable to excellent; internal consistency ranged from α = 0.52–0.98, ICC’s for test–retest reliability ranged from 0.58–0.92. Equivalence was fair to excellent with ICC’s ranging from 0.54–0.91. Interestingly, more subjects preferred the computerized instead of the traditional questionnaires (computerized: 39.2%, traditional: 21.6%, no preference: 39.2%). These results support the use of computerized assessment for these five instruments in a general population of adults.