Do You Need a Foot-in-the-Door or Is a Toe Enough? Scripting Introductions That Induce Tailoring and Increase Participation in Telephone Interviews
Don Allen
ICF
Lew Berman
ICF
Jamie Dayton
ICF
Josh Duell
ICF
Kim Ethridge
ICF
Wendi Gilreath
Washington Department of Health
Katie Hutchinson
Washington Department of Health
Matt Jans
ICF
Anneke Jansen
Washington Department of Health
Matthew D. McDonough
ICF
Kristin Reichl
Washington Department of Health
Mark Serafin
Washington Department of Health
Sam Vincent
ICF
Randal ZuWallack
ICF
This paper presents a randomized experiment comparing a traditional introductory script with two new scripts that included aspects of tailored responses. Using the Washington Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a random digit dial (RDD) phone survey, sampled household received either the standard BRFSS introduction or a new script. The first experimental script included three "hook questions" designed to engage the household informant in conversation (e.g., "Have you heard of the survey?"). The second experimental script instructed interviewers to prioritize asking for a good call-back time to complete the interview instead of pushing for a complete on that call. This approach shows respect for the respondent's time, and changes a large, unexpected request to a small one that the respondent can plan around. Call-backs can be a "toe-in-the-door" to full cooperation later. Our primary outcomes were eligibility rate, contact rate, interview completion rate, cooperation rate, refusal rate, and response rate. The findings suggest that that traditional introductory scripts, which can sound awkward on the phone, may be no worse than those scripted to sound better.