The DOI matches its Crossref record; 74 of the 76 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Equivalence of Electronic and Paper-and-Pencil Administration of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: A Meta-Analytic Review
Open accessAbstract
Objectives Patient-reported outcomes (PROs; self-report assessments) are increasingly important in evaluating medical care and treatment efficacy. Electronic administration of PROs via computer is becoming widespread. This article reviews the literature addressing whether computer-administered tests are equivalent to their paper-and-pencil forms.Methods Meta-analysis was used to synthesize 65 studies that directly assessed the equivalence of computer versus paper versions of PROs used in clinical trials. A total of 46 unique studies, evaluating 278 scales, provided sufficient detail to allow quantitative analysis.Results Among 233 direct comparisons, the average mean difference between modes averaged 0.2% of the scale range (e.g., 0.02 points on a 10-point scale), and 93% were within +/-5% of the scale range. Among 207 correlation coefficients between paper and computer instruments (typically intraclass correlation coefficients), the average weighted correlation was 0.90; 94% of correlations were at least 0.75. Because the cross-mode correlation (paper vs. computer) is also a test-retest correlation, with potential variation because of retest, we compared it to the within-mode (paper vs. paper) test-retest correlation. In four comparisons that evaluated both, the average cross-mode paper-to-computer correlation was almost identical to the within-mode correlation for readministration of a paper measure (0.88 vs. 0.91).Conclusions Extensive evidence indicates that paper- and computer-administered PROs are equivalent.
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“Previous studies highlight the no differences between the use of paper–pencil or online formats (e.g., Dodou & de Winter, 2014; Gwaltney et al., 2008).”
From Online Sexual Harassment Perpetration Among Peer Adolescents: A Cross-National and Cross-Gender Study (2025) · cites this paper as Gwaltney et al., 2008
In the citing paper
“the literature confirms that the use of online or paper questionnaires is largely indifferent.”
From Online Sexual Harassment Perpetration Among Peer Adolescents: A Cross-National and Cross-Gender Study (2025) · cites this paper as Gwaltney et al., 2008
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Metadata
- Authors
- Gwaltney, C. J., Shields, A. L., & Shiffman, S.
- Affiliations
- Brown University (US)
- East Tennessee State University (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Venue
- Value in Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-03
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 322-333
- ISSN
- 1098-3015 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2146545407
- Cited by
- 623
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 56 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 44 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 5.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Value in Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons - East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee State University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- patient-reported outcomes, paper-and-pencil administration, mode effects, measurement invariance, test-retest reliability, clinical trials
- MeSH terms
- Data Collection, Humans, Statistics as Topic, Patient Satisfaction, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Computers, Handheld
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