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The reliability of a brief life event interview
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|January 1, 1985
Summary
This study validated a brief life event interview, finding it reliable for collecting detailed life event information in field settings. The interview procedure proved both economical and satisfactory for general population samples.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Life events significantly impact mental and physical health.
- Accurate measurement of life events is crucial for research.
- Existing methods for assessing life events can be time-consuming or lack reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a brief life event interview.
- To assess the reliability of this interview in a general population sample.
- To determine its suitability for field research settings.
Main Methods:
- A brief life event interview was administered.
- Reliability was assessed using nine ratings on 481 distinct life events.
- Data were collected from 214 subjects representing random samples of the general population.
Main Results:
- The life event interview demonstrated satisfactory levels of reliability.
- Analysis of 481 events across 214 subjects confirmed consistent ratings.
- The procedure was found to be economical for data collection.
Conclusions:
- The brief life event interview is a reliable tool for gathering data on life events.
- It offers an economical and effective method for use in field research.
- This interview facilitates detailed information acquisition on life events in diverse populations.