The Effect of Anonymous Vs. Nonanonymous Rating Conditions on Patient Satisfaction and Motivation Ratings in a Population of Substance Abuse Patients

  1. Christoph Leonhard,
  2. David R. Gastfriend*,
  3. Liam J. Tuffy,
  4. Jennifer Neill,
  5. Alonzo Plough

Article first published online: 30 MAY 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1997.tb03813.x

Issue

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Volume 21, Issue 4, pages 627–630, June 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

Leonhard, C., Gastfriend, D. R., Tuffy, L. J., Neill, J. and Plough, A. (1997), The Effect of Anonymous Vs. Nonanonymous Rating Conditions on Patient Satisfaction and Motivation Ratings in a Population of Substance Abuse Patients. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 21: 627–630. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1997.tb03813.x

Author Information

  1. From Addiction Services (C.L., D.R.G., L.J.T., J.N.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Havard Medical School (C.L., D.R.G.); orid Boston Office of Treatment Improvement (A.P.), Boston, Massachusetts.

*Reprint requests: Dovid R. Gastfriend M.D., WEH 101, 16 Blossom Street. Boston. MA 02114.

  1. This work was supported by a grant from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT 1–U88–T100022). An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Harvard Medical School. Department of Psychiatry, Annual Research Conference, March 1995, Boston. MA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 30 MAY 2006
  2. Article first published online: 30 MAY 2006
  3. Received for publication September 26. 1995: accepted February 10, 1997

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Keywords:

  • Motivation;
  • Satisfaction;
  • Anonymous;
  • Confidential;
  • Methodology

Patient self-report in evaluations involving alcohol and other drug abuse has generally been found to be reliable and valid. However, little is known about the variables associated with greater or lesser degrees of reliability and validity. This study was conducted to determine how motivation and satisfaction ratings obtained under anonymous conditions would compare with ratings obtained under nonanonymous conditions. Over the course of 12 months, 1397 subjects in the Boston Target Cities Project were assigned to either confidential or fully anonymous data collection procedures in an interrupted time-series design. Anonymity had either no effect on ratings or accounted for <1% of the variance. Satisfaction and motivation ratings obtained under confidential conditions are probably as reliable and valid as ratings obtained under fully anonymous conditions.

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