TABLE 2.

—Error Rates for Completion of Self-Administered Questionnaires (SAQs), 1997/98 Baltimore STD and Behavior Survey

	Grade Range Estimatesa
Characteristics	n (unweighted)	No. errors (%)	Skip error (%)c	Inconsistent (%)d	Other (%)e
Alcohol/drug use SAQb
≤ Grade 3	28	21.4	64.3	7.1	7.1
Grades 4–6	32	40.6	34.4	12.5	12.5
Grades 7–8	69	56.5	36.2	0.0	7.2
≥ Grade 9	356	70.5	25.0	0.8	3.7
Same-sex sexual intercourse/masturbation SAQb
≤ Grade 3	28	21.4	60.7	17.9	0.0
Grades 4–6	34	32.4	55.9	5.9	5.9
Grades 7–8	70	38.6	51.4	7.1	2.9
≥ Grade 9	355	53.8	39.7	6.5	0.0

Notes. Sample Ns are unweighted. Unweighted row percentages total to 100%.

^aBased on number of correct responses out of a possible 66. 0–18: ≤ grade 3; 19–44: grades 4–6; 45–60: grades 7–8; 61–66: ≥ grade 9. P < 0.001 for Mantel–Haenszel test for linear trend.

^bA total of 495 participants completed the alcohol SAQ (292 females and 203 males) and a total of 497 participants completed the same-gender sex and masturbation SAQ (295 females and 202 males). For each SAQ, 10 participants did not complete the REALM; totals are therefore 485 and 487, respectively.

^cRespondent did not follow skip instructions on paper form (e.g., if Q1 equals “no,” skip to Q4).

^dRespondent answered in an inconsistent manner (e.g., answered no to having same-gender contact, answered that most recent contact was last week on subsequent question).

^eRespondent left entire page blank or did not fill out paper form correctly (e.g., circled 2 answers, answer written in).