Premium
Feasibility of validating survey self‐reports of mental health service use
Author(s) -
Golding Jacqueline M.,
Gongla Patricia,
Brownell Arlene
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00906071
Subject(s) - mental health , officer , mental health service , public health , library science , psychology , principal (computer security) , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry , political science , law , nursing , computer science , operating system
Survey respondents may inaccurately report mental health service utilization for motivational and cognitive reasons. There is little evidence on accuracy of self-reports of mental health service use, and this evidence suggests that respondents tend to underreport inpatient utilization. This study addressed the question of self-report accuracy by comparing survey data from a large probability sample to data from computerized records of publicly funded mental health services. Few inaccuracies in self-reporting were detected. However, despite the use of data bases that were unusually appropriate for verifying self-reports, several problems limited the feasibility of validation. Suggestions are offered for increasing the feasibility of validation in future studies.