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Understanding Survey Questions and Variables in SPSS

This training session covers types of questions, variable classifications, levels of measurement in SPSS, and examples of closed, open, multiple-response questions. Learn about dichotomous, Likert scales, and how to analyze data types.

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Understanding Survey Questions and Variables in SPSS

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  1. Training session 4 GAP Toolkit 5Training in basic drug abuse data management and analysis Types of question and types of variable

  2. Objectives • Define a range of classifications for questions and variables • Discuss the use of levels of measurement in defining variables in SPSS

  3. Types of question • Closed, open • “Factual” and attitudinal

  4. Closed questions • The respondent selects from a list of mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive answers • The answers are pre-coded

  5. Example • Has the patient been in treatment prior to this episode? • Yes (1) • No (0)

  6. Example • In the last 30 days, how many times (if any) have you had 5 or more drinks in a row? • None • 1 • 2 • 3-5 • 6-9 • 10 or more

  7. “Other” Category • An option on all but the simplest closed questions • Ensures the list of options are exhaustive • Allows flexibility in response • Post-coded rather than pre-coded

  8. Example • Type of centre: • Specialized treatment centre • Therapeutic community • General hospital • Psychiatric hospital/unit • Other (specify): …………………………..

  9. Dichotomous questions • A subset of closed questions • There are only two possible answers • The answers are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive

  10. Examples 1. Gender: • Male • Female 2. Has the patient been in treatment prior to this episode? • Yes • No

  11. Multiple-response questions • The question allows more than one response • The categories are not mutually exclusive • Frequently, a grouping of dichotomous closed questions

  12. Example • Mode of ingestion of primary substance(X all that apply): • Swallow • Smoke • Snort • Inject • Other (specify): ……………………………….

  13. Likert Scales • A type of closed question • Designed to measure attitudes

  14. Example • Do you disapprove of people doing each of the following: • Trying marijuana once or twice • Don’t approve • Disapprove • Strongly disapprove • Don’t know • Smoking marijuana occasionally • (options repeated)

  15. Open questions • There are no constraints on the respondent’s answer • The answers cannot be predicted before the questionnaires are presented • The answers must be coded after the questionnaires are collected

  16. Examples • Q30. Which new drugs or new patterns of use have been reported? • Q13. Indicate primary substance of abuse, that is, the most frequently used • Other (specify): ……………………..

  17. Exercise: discussion • Do Open or Closed questions appear more frequently in the questionnaires used by your specific focal group? Give reasons/possible explanations for these choices.

  18. Response types • Factual/attitudinal • Direct/indirect

  19. Types of variable • Levels of measurement • Types of variation • Categorical vs. continuous

  20. Levels of measurement • Nominal • Ordinal • Interval • Ratio

  21. Nominal • The data describe an attribute • The set of possible values the variable can contain are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive categories • The categories cannot be objectively measured against each other

  22. Examples: nominal data • Gender: male and female • Location: urban and rural • Religion: Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jew • Race: white, black, coloured, mixed • Referral source: self, employer, court

  23. Ordinal • The data are broken into categories that can be ranked • It is not possible to quantify the difference between the categories

  24. Example: ordinal • Level of education: • None • Primary • Secondary • Tertiary

  25. Interval • The data are measured on a continuous scale, not simply ranked • The units of measurement are constant • There is no absolute 0

  26. Example: interval • Temperature: • Fahrenheit or Celsius • Measured on a continuous scale • No absolute 0

  27. Ratio • The data are measured on a continuous scale, not simply ranked • The units of measurement are constant • There is an absolute 0

  28. Examples: ratio • Age • Income • Temperature on the Kelvin Scale

  29. Types of variation • Nominal: equal categories • Ordinal: ordered categories • Interval and ratio: a continuous scale

  30. Types of variation • Qualitative: nominal • Quantitative: interval and ratio • Quantitative and qualitative: ordinal

  31. Name of treatment centre Referral source Gender Age Home language Region of permanent residence Highest level of education completed Employment status Current marital status How old was the patient when they first began using drugs regularly? Exercise:identify the levels of measurement

  32. Level of measurement in SPSS • Nominal • Ordinal • Scale

  33. Exercise: measure • Return to Ex1.sav and set the level of measurement for the variables ID, DRUG, AGE and COND • Save the file

  34. Question types: Closed/Open Factual/Attitudinal Variable types: Levels of measurement Discrete (categorical)/continuous Quantitative/qualitative Summary

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