Kauth M R, St Lawrence J S, Kelly J A
Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi.
AIDS Educ Prev. 1991 Fall;3(3):207-14.
A review of 30 AIDS behavioral research studies revealed that almost half employed retrospective sexual activity assessment periods of 12 months or longer. The present study examined the correspondence between retrospective reports of sexual activity for 3 overlapping time-frames (past 2 weeks, past 3 months, and past 12 months) for 61 gay men. Adjusted for equivalent 12-month intervals, the reported mean frequencies of sexual practices were considerably higher for shorter recall periods than for longer recall periods, a discrepancy greater than would be expected by normal activity fluctuation. The study also found that behavior reported across shorter retrospective time-frames was more consistent, while reliability for frequently occurring and unsafe sexual activities decreased as the recall period lengthened. Studies utilizing recall periods of 12 months or more may produce data of questionable reliability.
一项对30项艾滋病行为研究的综述显示，几乎一半的研究采用了12个月或更长时间的回顾性性活动评估期。本研究调查了61名男同性恋者在3个重叠时间框架（过去2周、过去3个月和过去12个月）内性活动回顾报告之间的一致性。经调整为等效的12个月间隔后，较短回忆期报告的性行为平均频率比较长回忆期高得多，这种差异大于正常活动波动预期的差异。该研究还发现，在较短回顾性时间框架内报告的行为更一致，而随着回忆期延长，频繁发生的不安全性行为的可靠性降低。使用12个月或更长时间回忆期的研究可能会产生可靠性存疑的数据。
