Center for Self-Report Science & Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, CA, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, CA, USA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2023 Aug 2;78(8):1278-1283. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbad043.
With the increase in web-based data collection, response times (RTs) for survey items have become a readily available byproduct in most online studies. We examined whether RTs in online questionnaires can prospectively discriminate between cognitively normal respondents and those with cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND).
Participants were 943 members of a nationally representative internet panel, aged 50 and older. We analyzed RTs that were passively recorded as paradata for 37 surveys (1,053 items) administered online over 6.5 years. A multilevel location-scale model derived 3 RT parameters for each survey: (1) a respondent's average RT and 2 components of intraindividual RT variability addressing (2) systematic RT adjustments and (3) unsystematic RT fluctuations. CIND status was determined at the end of the 6.5-year period.
All 3 RT parameters were significantly associated with CIND, with a combined predictive accuracy of area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve = 0.74. Slower average RTs, smaller systematic RT adjustments, and greater unsystematic RT fluctuations prospectively predicted a greater likelihood of CIND over periods of up to 6.5, 4.5, and 1.5 years, respectively.
RTs for survey items are a potential early indicator of CIND, which may enhance analyses of predictors, correlates, and consequences of cognitive impairment in online survey research.
随着基于网络的数据收集的增加，调查项目的反应时间 (RT) 已成为大多数在线研究中现成的副产品。我们研究了在线问卷中的 RT 是否可以前瞻性地区分认知正常的受访者和认知障碍但无痴呆 (CIND) 的受访者。
参与者是一个具有全国代表性的互联网小组的 943 名成员，年龄在 50 岁及以上。我们分析了作为在线问卷的被动记录的反应时间数据，这些数据是在 6.5 年期间通过 37 项在线调查（1053 个项目）收集的。多级位置尺度模型为每个调查得出了 3 个 RT 参数：（1）受访者的平均 RT 和 2 个个体内 RT 变异性成分，分别解决（2）系统 RT 调整和（3）非系统 RT 波动。在 6.5 年的研究结束时确定了 CIND 状态。
所有 3 个 RT 参数均与 CIND 显著相关，其联合预测准确性为接收器操作特征曲线下的面积 = 0.74。平均 RT 较慢、系统 RT 调整较小和非系统 RT 波动较大，分别前瞻性地预测了长达 6.5、4.5 和 1.5 年的 CIND 可能性更高。
调查项目的 RT 是 CIND 的潜在早期指标，这可能会增强在线调查研究中对认知障碍的预测因素、相关性和后果的分析。
