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Charles NE, Strong SJ, Floyd PN, Burns LC, Sigurdson L, Barry CT. Test-Retest Reliability of Self-Reported Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among at-Risk Adolescents. Psychol Rep 2024; 127:432-446. [PMID: 35699603 DOI: 10.1177/00332941221100459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents often engage in behaviors such as substance use and risky sexual activity that can lead to negative health and psychological consequences for themselves and others. Accurate measurement of these behaviors in surveys is challenging given that the behaviors are often viewed as undesirable and/or are illegal, so it is important to test the psychometric properties of instruments used to assess adolescent risk behaviors. The current study aimed to assess the test-retest reliability of a widely used measure of youth risk-taking behavior, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). A sample of 156 at-risk adolescents aged 16-18 years (81% male; 61% White) completed the YRBS retrospectively across intervals ranging from 3 to 12 days during their stay in a residential program at which they were under close supervision and had limited ability to engage in new risk behaviors. Participants were asked to complete the YRBS based on their "typical" (pre-program) behavior at both administrations, which were 10-14 weeks into their stay. The reliability of responses was assessed using kappa and weighted kappa analyses. Findings indicate moderate to substantial reliability for nearly all items, suggesting that at-risk youth reliably reported their engagement in health risk behaviors across multiple administrations and supporting the psychometric strength of the YRBS measure for use with this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora E Charles
- School of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Stephanie J Strong
- School of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Paula N Floyd
- School of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Lauren C Burns
- School of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Lydia Sigurdson
- School of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
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Walsh AR, Sullivan S, Stephenson R. Inter-partner Agreement of Condom Use and Sexual Positioning in Male Couples. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:212-223. [PMID: 33983091 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.1924606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Accurate, reliable self-reports of sexual behavior are a crucial component of valid HIV risk-estimation and behavioral intervention evaluation, yet this data's reliability remains understudied. The goal of this study was to describe interpartner agreement on recent receptive anal intercourse (AI) and condomless receptive AI frequencies, among a sample of male couples. We quantified interpartner agreement on self-reported receptive AI and condomless receptive AI (absolute and relative to AI frequency), and position and condom use during a couple's most recent AI, using cross-sectional data from male partners (US, 2016-2017; N = 718 individuals). Proportional and statistical agreement (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), kappa (k)) were assessed. Observed agreement for receptive AI frequency was 49.44% (ICC (95% CI): 0.82(0.79, 0.84)) and for relative receptive frequency, 59.05% (ICC: 0.96 (0.85, 0.96). Agreement on condomless receptive AI was 90.21% (ICC: 0.78 (0.75, 0.82), and for relative condomless receptive AI, 91.15% (ICC: 0.80 (0.77, 0.83). Most recent AI position agreement was 89.42% (k (95% CI): 0.84 (0.80, 0.88)), and condom use, 98.89% (k: 0.82 (0.87, 0.98)). Observed agreement was higher among those who reported consistent positioning and condom use. Further research on self-reported sexual behavior data is needed to improve research validity and intervention effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R Walsh
- Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan
- Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, University of Michigan School of Nursing
| | - Stephen Sullivan
- Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan
| | - Rob Stephenson
- Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan
- Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, University of Michigan School of Nursing
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Walsh AR, Stephenson R. Assessing the Reliability of Self-Reported Sexual Behavior Among Male Couples. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:1067-1086. [PMID: 33564980 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01857-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coupled gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are at particularly high risk for HIV, and a clear understanding of behavioral risk is key to effective interventions. Accurate behavioral self-reports are a crucial component of valid sexual health research, yet reliability of these data remains understudied. This study aimed to quantify and identify predictors of dyadic discordance in reported 3-month anal intercourse (AI) occurrence and frequency. Using cross-sectional data from 407 male couples in the U.S. (2016-2017), we calculated proportional dyadic concordance and used dyad-level logistic and linear regression to identify demographic, behavioral, and relationship traits associated with the odds of discordant frequency reports and the relative difference between discordant partner reports. Couples had high levels of concordant reports of 3-month anal AI occurrence (97%) but low interpartner agreement in reported frequency (37%). After adjustment, the odds of discordance were significantly associated with dyadic employment and differences on the Communal Coping to Reduce HIV Threat Scale (CCS) (p < .05). Among frequency-discordant couples, the mean relative difference between partner reports was 52.80% ± 35.91% (M ± SD). After adjustment, relative differences between partners' reported AI frequencies were positively associated with interpartner differences in CCS (p < .05). These results indicate that among GBMSM couples in committed partnerships, self-reported sexual behavior data may be impacted by granularity, recall, and relationship characteristics. Further research in this area is warranted to better understand measurement error in self-reported sexual activity data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R Walsh
- Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, 400 N Ingalls St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Rob Stephenson
- Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, 400 N Ingalls St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Santero PL, Whitehead NE, Ballesteros D. RETRACTED: Effects of Therapy on Religious Men Who Have Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction. Linacre Q 2020; 87:NP1-NP17. [DOI: 10.1177/0024363918788559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Dareng EO, Adebamowo SN, Eseyin OR, Odutola MK, Pharoah PP, Adebamowo CA. Test-Retest Reliability of Self-Reported Sexual Behavior History in Urbanized Nigerian Women. Front Public Health 2017; 5:172. [PMID: 28770192 PMCID: PMC5511856 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies assessing risk of sexual behavior and disease are often plagued by questions about the reliability of self-reported sexual behavior. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of self-reported sexual history among urbanized women in a prospective study of cervical HPV infections in Nigeria. METHODS We examined test-retest reliability of sexual practices using questionnaires administered at study entry and at follow-up visits. We used the root mean squared approach to calculate within-person coefficient of variation (CVw) and calculated the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) using two way, mixed effects models for continuous variables and [Formula: see text] statistics for discrete variables. To evaluate the potential predictors of reliability, we used linear regression and log binomial regression models for the continuous and categorical variables, respectively. RESULTS We found that self-reported sexual history was generally reliable, with overall ICC ranging from 0.7 to 0.9; however, the reliability varied by nature of sexual behavior evaluated. Frequency reports of non-vaginal sex (agreement = 63.9%, 95% CI: 47.5-77.6%) were more reliable than those of vaginal sex (agreement = 59.1%, 95% CI: 55.2-62.8%). Reports of time-invariant behaviors were also more reliable than frequency reports. The CVw for age at sexual debut was 10.7 (95% CI: 10.6-10.7) compared with the CVw for lifetime number of vaginal sex partners, which was 35.2 (95% CI: 35.1-35.3). The test-retest interval was an important predictor of reliability of responses, with longer intervals resulting in increased inconsistency (average change in unreliability for each 1 month increase = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.07-0.38, p = 0.005). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that overall, the self-reported sexual history among urbanized Nigeran women is reliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen O. Dareng
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Sally N. Adebamowo
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Olabimpe R. Eseyin
- Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Paul P. Pharoah
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Clement A. Adebamowo
- Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Nyitray AG, Kim J, Hsu CH, Papenfuss M, Villa L, Lazcano-Ponce E, Giuliano AR. Test-retest reliability of a sexual behavior interview for men residing in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States: the HPV in Men (HIM) Study. Am J Epidemiol 2009; 170:965-74. [PMID: 19741044 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwp225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the natural history of sexually transmitted infections requires the collection of data on sexual behavior. However, there is concern that self-reported information on sexual behavior may not be valid, especially if study participants are culturally and linguistically distinct. The authors completed a test-retest reliability study of 1,069 men recruited in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States in 2005 and 2006. All of the men completed the same computer-assisted self-interview approximately 3 weeks apart. Refusal rates, kappa coefficients, and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for the full sample and by country, age, and lifetime number of female sex partners. Reliability coefficients for each study site and the combined population were high for almost all questions. With few exceptions, the authors found high test-retest reliability with a computer-assisted self-interview on sexual behavior used in 3 culturally and linguistically distinct countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan G Nyitray
- H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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