Table 2

How mode and antecedent features may influence response: the example of respondent role in a clinical trial

Antecedent features in trial

Appraisal and response: some research hypotheses

Respondent role: Participants approached for participation by their professional carer

Legitimacy: An established patient-carer relationship with high levels of regard for the researcher may enhance legitimacy of survey request sufficiently to modify mode feature effects and therefore reduce satisficing

Respondent role: Participants are consented through formally documented process

Legitimacy: The formality and detail of consenting process may enhance legitimacy of survey request sufficiently to modify mode feature effects and therefore reduce satisficing

Respondent role: Participants provide self-reported data at the site of delivery for their healthcare

Impersonality: On-site data collection may increase need for confidential and anonymous reporting sufficiently to promote adverse effects of mode feature effects and introduce social desirability bias

Respondent role/sensitivity: Participants are patients with an on-going clinical need

Cognitive burden: Health status of respondent may increase overall cognitive burden to modify mode feature effects and increase satisficing. Burden and therefore, effects may vary with disease and treatment progression.

Impersonality: The nature of the condition may increase the need for confidential and anonymous reporting sufficiently to promote adverse mode feature effects and introduce social desirability bias.

Respondent role: Participants are patients in receipt of therapeutic intervention

Legitimacy/leverage-saliency: The requirement for treatment and the opportunity for novel therapy enhance legitimacy and the perceived importance/salience of the research. This may minimise adverse mode feature effects to reduce satisficing.

Robling et al. BMC Health Services Research 2010 10:180   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-10-180