The Impact of Individual Factors on Careless Responding Across Different Mental Disorder Screenings: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract BackgroundOnline questionnaires are widely used for large-scale screening. However, careless responding (CR) from participants can compromise the reliability of screening outcomes. Prior studies have focused on the effects of individual and environmental factors on CR...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Huawei Kuang, Lichao Zhu, Haonan Yin, Zihe Zhang, Biao Jing, Junwei Kuang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Medical Internet Research
Online Access:https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e70451
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Summary:Abstract BackgroundOnline questionnaires are widely used for large-scale screening. However, careless responding (CR) from participants can compromise the reliability of screening outcomes. Prior studies have focused on the effects of individual and environmental factors on CR, but the effect of questionnaire type remains underexplored. ObjectiveThis study investigates the individual factors influencing CR in online mental health screening and assesses how the effect of these factors varies across different psychological questionnaires. MethodsThis study analyzed data from 24,367 participants across 4 questionnaires (PHQ-9 [Patient Health Questionnaire-9], PSS [Perceived Stress Scale], ISI [Insomnia Severity Index], and GAD-7 [Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale]). CR was defined as the proportion of items completed in less than 2 seconds per item. We used a multiple linear regression model to examine the effect of individual factors (sex, age, education, smoking, and drinking) on CR across 4 questionnaires. In addition, response times were visualized to identify patterns between careless and careful responders. ResultsFemales demonstrate lower levels of CR than males when completing the PHQ-9 (βPβPβPβPβPβPβPβPβPβPβPβPβP ConclusionsThe effect of individual factors on CR varies across questionnaire types. These findings offer valuable insights for questionnaire designers and administrators, highlighting the need for targeted intervention.
ISSN:1438-8871