Switching from Telephone to Web-First Mixed-Mode Data Collection: Results from the Transition into Adulthood...

Area of Science:

• Survey Methodology
• Data Collection Techniques
• Social Science Research

Background:

• Traditional telephone-only data collection can face challenges in response rates and costs.
• Mixed-mode designs offer potential solutions by integrating different survey methods.
• The Transition into Adulthood Supplement (TAS) aimed to optimize data collection for young adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a web-first mixed-mode design on survey fieldwork outcomes and interview mode.
• To compare mixed-mode data collection with a telephone-only approach regarding response rates, data quality, and costs.
• To identify respondent characteristics associated with choosing a web interview over a telephone interview.

Main Methods:

• A mode experiment was conducted during the 2019 wave of the Transition into Adulthood Supplement (TAS) of the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID).
• The study compared a web-first mixed-mode design (self-administered web and interviewer-administered telephone) against a telephone-only design.
• Data were collected from approximately 3,000 young adults.

Main Results:

• Mixed-mode data collection resulted in higher response rates compared to telephone-only methods.
• Interviews were completed more quickly and with less effort in the mixed-mode design.
• The mixed-mode approach led to lower fieldwork costs and appeared to improve interview data quality.

Conclusions:

• A web-first mixed-mode data collection design is effective in enhancing survey outcomes, including response rates and data quality, while reducing costs.
• Respondent characteristics, including demographics, socioeconomic status, technology use, and psychological health, influence mode choice.
• This approach offers a viable strategy for improving data collection efficiency and respondent cooperation in longitudinal studies.