1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM)

1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM)

• A nationally representative survey of approximately 1,700 teenage males 15 to 19 years old, conducted across the U.S. in 1995.
• Designed to assess teenage men's risk behaviors related to HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy.
• An earlier version of this survey was conducted in 1988 to parallel a federal survey of females, the National Survey of Family Growth.
• Parental consent was required for teenagers under age 18.
• Designed and overseen by the Urban Institute. Data collected by Research Triangle Institute (RTI). University of Illinois also collaborates.
• Funded by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with contributions from the DHHS Office of Population Affairs, National Institute of Mental Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..Audio-CASI Experiment in NSAM

Audio-CASI Experiment in NSAM

• In 1995 we tested a new survey methodology: Audio Computer-Assisted Self Interviews (Audio-CASI). Respondents hear questions through headphones which are connected to a laptop computer and enter responses using the computer keyboard. They can also see the questions on the computer screen.
• To test the effect of this new survey technology, about four-fifths of the NSAM respondents were randomly assigned to answer questions using Audio-CASI, while the other fifth used the traditional method, a paper questionnaire in which they read the questions and write answers.
• For both Audio-CASI and the paper questionnaire, respondents were told that their responses would be confidential. The interviewer did not see or hear their responses in either case.
• The following graphs illustrate some of the key findings. For some very sensitive behaviors, Audio-CASI elicited greater responses than the paper method. In less sensitive behaviors, there was little difference.

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