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Research on Aging
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Supporting the Very Old When Completing a Questionnaire

Risking Bias or Gaining Valid Results?

Ulf Isaksson

UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden

Regina Santamäki-Fischer

UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden

Björn Nygren

UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden

Berit Lundman

UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden

Sture Åström

UmeÅ University, UmeÅ, Sweden

The aim of this study was to elucidate the process of completing a questionnaire in a supportive face-to-face manner. A total of 12 participants, age 90 years or older, were asked to answer the Resilience Scale. The statements were read aloud and the participants answered verbally or by pointing to an enlarged copy of the reply form. Transcribed dialogues were analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis. Four types of dialogues were formulated: "Making a prompt decision," "Deciding after a pensive dialogue," "Deciding after an explanatory dialogue," and "Deciding after an encouraging dialogue." This article discusses risk for bias and ways to overcome the problem. The authors concluded that support via face-to-face interview in answering a questionnaire is valuable to obtaining valid data from very old persons.

Key Words: aged 80 and over • bias • face-to-face interviews • questionnaires • support

Research on Aging, Vol. 29, No. 6, 576-589 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0164027507305924
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