Comparing Likert and Slider Response Formats in Clinical Assessment: Evidence From Measuring Depression Symptoms...

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Clinical Assessment
• Quantitative Psychology

Background:

• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is crucial for evaluating psychological scales.
• Response formats can influence data quality and analysis outcomes.
• The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used measure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of five different response formats for the CES-D scale within a confirmatory factor analysis framework.
• To evaluate how response format impacts scale psychometric properties, score interpretation, and user perception.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for selecting response formats in clinical assessments.

Main Methods:

• A within-subjects experimental design was employed.
• Participants completed the eight-item CES-D using a Likert-type scale, three slider formats, and a number-entry format.
• Analyses included item-level scores, factor structure, measurement invariance, reliability, validity, group mean comparisons, and subjective user evaluations.

Main Results:

• Factor structure, measurement invariance, reliability, and validity were largely consistent across response formats.
• Group mean comparisons showed inconsistent results across formats.
• Individual item and sum scores, along with subjective evaluations (accuracy, enjoyment, difficulty, exhaustion), varied significantly by response format.

Conclusions:

• While core psychometric properties remain stable, response formats impact score variability and user experience.
• The choice of response format can influence findings in group mean comparisons.
• Recommendations are provided for researchers to optimize response format selection in clinical assessment design.