Survey research in neuropsychology: A systematic review

Abstract

Objective: This systematic review paper summarizes the research in neuropsychology using survey methodology, tallies key design features of published survey studies, and evaluates the degree to which the survey methods are disclosed in these publications.

Method: We conducted a systematic review of neuropsychological studies that used survey methodology using PRISMA guidelines. We rated 89 surveys on the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) required disclosure items and quality indicators.

Results: Following the AAPOR guidelines for survey disclosure and quality, we found only fair to good compliance with disclosure requirements, with the average article reporting 73% of the required elements of method. Rates of disclosure of required items went up after the year 2000 but then dropped back somewhat after 2010. We also found a decrease in survey response rates over time.

Conclusions: Most of the surveys published concern practice patterns and trends in the field. Response rates have gone down, as is common in other surveys. There is room for improvement in disclosure practices in survey articles in neuropsychology. We provide a rubric for evaluating disclosure of methods, to guide researchers who want to use surveys in their neuropsychological research, as well as guide consumers of survey research.

Keywords:

• Survey research
• neuropsychology
• methodology
• disclosure
• transparency

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Michael Mungin, Psychology Librarian at James Madison University for assistance with database search strategies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The excluded elements include: 1) How weights were calculated and sources of weighting parameters; 2) Procedures for managing membership and attrition in a pool or panel; 3) Methods of interviewer training, supervision, and monitoring; 4) Relevant stimuli, visual, or sensory exhibits; 5) Validation of interviewers, checks on responding more than once, tests for speeding; 6) Specification of indices or statistical modeling sufficient to allow replication.

2 The contrast between 65% before 1990 and 72% after 2000 is also statistically significant in a t-test with a finite population correction applied, based on the conservative assumption that the search conducted for this review identified at least two-thirds of the universe of eligible published articles in each decade. The increase after year 1990 from 65% to 75% is statistically significant with or without the finite population correction.