Response Rates, Reliability, and Convergent Validity in Experience Sampling Data

This study examined associations of compliance rate with the reliability and convergent validity of intoxication and negative affect assessments in experience sampling method (ESM) data in three samples (Veterans, Sexual Minority Men, and College Students). Convergent validity was operationalized as within-person associations between daily aggregates of random in situ assessments and retrospective daily assessments or transdermal alcohol assessments. Measures with lower ICC require more assessments for a reliable aggregate (e.g., daily mean). In this regard, the number of completed assessments and intraclass correlation (ICC), rather than compliance with the protocol per se, determines reliability. Although convergent validity was correlated with compliance rate, the relatively weak associations reflect that there are individuals with excellent compliance yet poor convergent validity as well as individuals with poor compliance and excellent convergent validity. The pattern of results does not show a clear threshold for compliance (e.g., 80%) that differentiates good versus poor validity.