The psychometric properties of pen-and-pencil and internet versions of the midlife women's symptom index (MSI)

Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik; Bender, Melinda; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Tsai, Hsiu-Min; Mi Kang, Nam; Lee, Hungsa

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2004.06.005

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Volume 42, Issue 2 , Pages 167-177, February 2005

The psychometric properties of pen-and-pencil and internet versions of the midlife women's symptom index (MSI)

Eun-Ok Im
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-512–471-7971; fax: +1-512-471-4910
Wonshik Chee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biomechanics, The University of Texas at San Antonio, USA
Melinda Bender
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Ching-Yu Cheng
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Hsiu-Min Tsai
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Nam Mi Kang
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
- Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hungsa Lee
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA
- Daebul University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Received 19 April 2004; received in revised form 21 May 2004; accepted 1 June 2004.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine comparability of an Internet format to a Pen-and-Pencil (PP) format of the Midlife Women's Symptom Index (MSI). This study utilized a cross-sectional comparative design with three sections: (a) a PP survey among 77 middle-aged women; (b) an Internet survey among 81 middle-aged women; and (c) an expert review among 20 women's health experts. Both of the PP and the Internet surveys included sociodemographic questions, the MSI, and the Menopausal Symptom Checklist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, K-R20, and correlation coefficients. The findings supported the reliability and validity of both Internet and PP formats of the MSI.

Keywords: Internet survey, Pen-and-pencil survey, Menopause, Symptom, Measurement, Scale, Instrument, Psychometrics