Inquiry on the Use of Reverse-Coded Questions in Surveys

[Narendra Samantaray]

Dear Neeraj Sir and other members.

Recently I came across this statement by our beloved Prof Gaskin, "Despite literature stating the contrary, I’ve found reverse-coded questions a perpetual nightmare. They nearly always fail in the factor analysis because some cultures are drawn to the positive end of the scale, while others are drawn to the negative end. So they rarely actually capture the trait the way you intend. When I design new surveys, I nearly always re-reverse reverse coded questions so that they are worded in the same direction as the regular items." (Satawiki Guidelines)

I'm curious as to how members have found using reverse-coded objects in this situation. Exactly the same as with Professor Gaskin?

As I am creating a survey with two scales having reverse-coded items, about to circulate, but this came through. So what is your advice? Should I re-reverse the items that were reverse-coded? 

Regards

--

Narendra Nath Samantaray, Ph.D

Assistant Professor (Clinical Psychology)

Dept of Clinical Psychology

School of Medical and Paramedical Science

Mizoram University (A Central University)

Aizawl - 796004, India

ORCiD; YouTube

[Anant Malik]

What Prof. Gaskin has realised in his journey of research is exactly what I also realised unbeknownst to me that a scholar of his repute also had the same experience. It is simple. Computer fails reverse coded questions in factor analysis because of such questions are low scoring, making such questions a nightmare for factor analysis. Use them if you want to see your factor analysis run poorly. This above is the reason why non only Prof. Gaskin but many research scholars one day come to exactly this realisation. :)

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[Neeraj Kaushik]

Dear Dr. Narendra

My experience with the reverse coded questions is EXACTLY SAME as that of Dr. Gaskin.

In most cases, I witnessed that such questions have to be deleted.

Best wishes

[Narendra Samantaray]

Thank you Neeraj Sir and Anant Sir, I will now re-reverse the reverse coded questions. 

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[Narendra Samantaray]

Dear Neeraj Sir and other members

Yet another related query.  I intend to use the 13-item Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability (SDS) Scale - Short Form as a component of my CMB control strategy. But I suppose this is a Formative scale (correct me if I am wrong) with anchors as True/False. Of course, I have no intention of using it for data reduction or CFA (only for CMB I intent), but based on such a Formative scale, which has "True/False" as anchors; whether this would not be a problem doing any CMB-based statistical remedies using SPSS or AMOS later on (I have never done any analysis for CMB, I have only read about it). I am solely familiar with only AMOS. Hence, should I use this formative scale that also has questions with reverse-coded items? Or what else should I do to control Social Desirability keeping the context of using SPSS or AMOS in the future? 

PFA, I am attaching the free version of the influential SDS-short form scale. 

Regards

--

Narendra nath Samantaray, Ph.D

[Neeraj Kaushik]

Handling formative constructs in AMOS is very tricky. It can be done by the technique named MIMIC.

I will recommend using some other construct with not more than 3-4 items which shd be measured on the exactly same format as that of DV and IDV.

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[Narendra Samantaray]

Thank Sir. Found a much shorter scale of 5item which too is reflective. 

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