Abstract
A relatively new technology-an interactive voice response (IVR) system-was used to collect selfreport data from 51 male subjects (21–56 years old) concerning daily tobacco and alcohol consumption over a 112-day period. After resolution of initial technical problems, the Touch-Tone data-entry methodology of the IVR was shown to provide notable advantages over traditional longitudinal self-report methodologies. The high compliance rate (93%) for this study was attributed to (1) implementation of important study design characteristics; (2) an innovative compensation scheme that reinforced consistent daily reporting and incorporated feedback to the subjects on a daily basis; (3) a simple, unobtrusive Touch-Tone data-entry interface with the interview and data-collection system that provided subjects with flexibility and time efficiency; and (4) direct coupling of the automated data-collection system and a relational database-management structure, providing immediate access and analysis of collected data.
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This research was supported by Grant P01-AA07203 awarded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to M.W.P., principal investigator.
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Mundt, J.C., Perrine, M.W., Searles, J.S. et al. An application of interactive voice response (ivr) technology to longitudinal studies of daily behavior. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers 27, 351–357 (1995). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03200429
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03200429