Dependent Interviewing In BHPS Wave 16

What is Dependent Interviewing? (DI) INDEPENDENT INTERVIEWING (INDI): –Respondents are asked to state their current circumstances without reference to data collected at earlier years –This is what we have always done on BHPS DEPENDENT INTERVIEWING (DI): –Questions are phrased in ways that rely on information gathered at previous waves. –Respondents are routed through the current survey depending on answers provided in previous waves

Two Ways to Structure DI Questions PROACTIVE DI: –Information from previous interview is used in formulating the question –“Remind and Ask” REACTIVE DI: –Information from previous interview is used to verify changes –Ask independent question and add follow up question if inconsistency

Why Do We Want to Use It? Reduce Respondent Burden -Reduce repetitiveness of questions -Shorten interview length -Reduce attrition (possibly) Increase Efficiency in Data Collection - Improve the flow of the interview - Make interviewer’s task easier - Reduce costs (e.g., less open ended questions to code) Improve Data Quality -Reduce likelihood of spurious changes e.g. coding differences due to people describing their job differently each year, misplacing dates to seams, etc.,…

Where DI Was Implemented Characteristics of Current Employment Employment History Checking Sources of Unearned Income Private Personal Pensions

Characteristics of Current Employment Occupation Industry Employer Name Self-Employment Status Managerial Duties Sector Number of Employees

DI Strategy for this Series of Questions “Confirm, Correct, Affirm” E5P “Last time we interviewed you, on 11 November 2005, you said your MAIN job was HAIRDRESSER – CUTTING AND STYLING LADIES HAIR. Are you still in that same occupation as your MAIN job? E5 “What was your MAIN job last week? Please tell me the exact job title and describe fully the sort of work you do. E5R “Can I just check, is that the same occupation that you had last time we interviewed you, on 11 November 2005?” All job characteristic questions follow this same strategy.

Employment History “Forwards” – not “Backwards” Reference point for start – LAST INTERVIEW DATE / 1 st September –Begin section by confirming status at this point Certain groups route past the history completely, e.g., … –Continuously Retired –Continuously employed in the Same Job Have obtained End dates of spells, rather than beginning dates of spells Usual questions about employment spells

Unearned Income Sources Checks on receipt of certain benefits and income sources, e.g., job seeker’s allowance, state pension, or housing benefit as at Wave 15 Checks whether a source mentioned at a previous wave is still being received RDI – “Ask and Confirm” NFH ‘Can I just check, according to our records you have in the past received INCOME SUPPORT. Have you received INCOME SUPPORT at any time since 1 st September 2005?’ If ‘Yes’, another grid is used to collect details

Private Personal Pension Few respondents remember the date they took out a private personal pension PDI – “Confirm and Correct” F14a “Can I just check, is this the policy you took out in 1997?” Otherwise, ask the usual questions… F15 “Was your policy taken out BEFORE July 1 st 1988 or since then?” F16 “What year did you first take out a policy?”