![Page 1: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Dependent Interviewing in the
U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program
Participation (SIPP)
Joanne Pascale and Nancy BatesDI Seminar, University of Essex
September 17, 2004
![Page 2: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
2
SIPP Overview
• Multi-panel survey begun in 1983
• 4 month reference period; 9-12 waves per panel
• Measures dynamics of economic well-being among U.S. households
• Core topics each wave: demographics, work, government assistance, assets, health insurance
• Topical modules vary by wave
• Complex CAPI instrument
• 2004 Panel Wave 1: Sample size: 62,000; Response rate: 85.1%
![Page 3: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
3
SIPP Methods Panel• 4-year comprehensive research vehicle
separate from but parallel to production SIPP survey
• General goal: reduce burden, improve response
• Dependent interviewing objectives:– Improve interview process, flow– Reduce attrition– Reduce item nonresponse– Reduce “seam” bias
![Page 4: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
4
SIPP interview months and their associated reference period months (example):
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 Wave 1
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 Wave 2
M1 M2 [etc.
]
![Page 5: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
5
Methods Panel Design
• Expert review, analysis of existing SIPP data
• Literature review
• Qualitative research (cognitive testing, debriefing)
• 3 split-ballot field tests over 3 years
• 1st test = Wave 1; 2nd, 3rd tests = Waves 1 and 2
• 2 treatments: control and test
• Interviewers administered both treatments
• Interviewer surveys, assessments
• ~1,000 households per treatment
• Response rate = ~86%
![Page 6: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
6
Dependent Interviewing Research
• Paucity of evidence in literature • Research steps:
– Commissioned formal literature review (Mathiowetz & McGonagle, 2000)
– Conducted qualitative research (Pascale & Mayer, 2003)
– Developed dependent interview methods for MPSIPP 2001 and 2002 quantitative field tests
![Page 7: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
7
Types of Income Data in SIPP
• Sources of income– Jobs & businesses
– Unearned income, e.g.:• Government assistance (e.g.: food stamps, welfare)
• Government entitlements (e.g.: social security)
• Other (e.g.: child support, alimony)
– Ownership of income-producing assets, e.g.:• Stocks & bonds
• Savings accounts
• Interest-earning checking accounts
• Amount of income received from each source
![Page 8: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
8
Dependent Interviewing (DI) Techniques
• Proactive: Remind and ask:‘Last time you said you received X. Do you still receive X?”
• Reactive: Ask ‘from scratch,’ offer data from prior wave if nonresponse, or to detect/resolve discrepancies
![Page 9: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
9
Control DI Techniques
Remind & Re-ask W1 Q:• If reported X in W1:
‘Last time I recorded that you received/owned X. Did you receive/own X at any time between [Month 1] and today?’
• If not reported in W1: simply re-ask W1 Q
Used for unearned income and asset sources
![Page 10: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
10
Control DI Techniques
Burden reduction
If R reported a job/biz in W1 ask if anything about R’s duties has changed.
If no, skip detailed questions about R’s duties and characteristics of the job/biz.
![Page 11: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
11
Control DI Techniques
None• Unearned income amounts (except 2 items)• Asset amounts• Job earnings• School enrollment• Health insurance
![Page 12: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
12
Control vs. Test
• DI used only for sources in control; used for both sources and amounts in test
• For sources– Control uses DI if ownership/receipt was reported
at any time during Wave 1– Test only uses DI if ownership/receipt was
reported in Month4/5 of Wave 1
• Month 5: Control does not collect ‘Month 5’ data in Wave 1; Test does
![Page 13: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
13
Test DI Techniques
Remind & ask ‘still?’:
‘Last time I recorded you received X. Do you still receive X?’
Used for asset sources, health insurance
![Page 14: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
14
Test DI Techniques
If source reported in M4 but not M5 of W1:Remind & ask ‘continue?’:‘Last time I recorded you received X. Did you
continue to receive X after M1 1st [of W2]?’– If yes, ask which months received– If no, probe to verify receipt really ended in M4 of
W1:• “I’m sorry to bother you about this, but it’s important for
me to get the dates just right. Are you sure X didn’t continue into [M1 of W2]?”
![Page 15: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
15
Test DI Techniques
If source reported in M5:Remind & ask ‘correct?’:‘Last time I recorded you received X. Is that
correct?’ – if yes: ‘What months received in W2?’– if no: ‘Did you receive X since [M2 of W2] 1st?’
• If yes: ‘What months received in W2?’• If no: Probe to verify receipt really ended in M4 of W1
![Page 16: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
16
Test DI Techniques
Ask W1 Q ‘from scratch’
If D/R: • Bring back amount provided in W1 and ask
“still sound about right?”
Used for unearned income, asset, job earnings amounts
![Page 17: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
17
Test DI Techniques
Ask W1 Q ‘from scratch’
If ‘Whatever I said last time’:• Bring back amount provided in W1 and ask
‘still sound about right?’
Used for unearned income, asset, job earnings amounts
![Page 18: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
18
Test DI Techniques
Corrective (mainly to catch keying errors)
• If reported in W1 re-ask W1 Q ‘from scratch’: – If new amount varies by +/-10% from W1
(unearned income amounts) or– If new amount varies by 10 fold from W1 (assets
amounts) ==> probe with interviewer note to confirm change
![Page 19: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
19
Summary of DI Techniques
Topic CONTROL TEST
Jobs Burden reduction Burden reduction
Unearned income sources
Remind, re-ask W1 Depends on W1:
Remind, continue
Remind, confirm
Asset sources
Remind, re-ask W1 Remind, still
![Page 20: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
20
Summary of DI Techniques
Topic CONTROL TEST
Job earnings None Nonresponse followup
Corrective
Unearned income amounts
None* Nonresponse followup
Corrective
Asset amounts None Nonresponse followup
Corrective
Health None Remind, still
![Page 21: Joanne Pascale and Nancy Bates DI Seminar, University of Essex September 17, 2004](https://reader035.vdocument.in/reader035/viewer/2022081603/5681472c550346895db46842/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
21
Next Steps
• Examine 2004 production data and compare to test results
• Assess feasibility of dependent interviewing under new windows system (vs. current DOS)