The effects of interviewer, respondent and area characteristics on cooperation in panel surveys: a multilevel approach

摘要

Refusals and noncontacts generally make up the two most important components of unit nonresponse. It is important to separate noncontacts from refusals when examining survey participation, a simultaneously analysis of both components seems relevant when assessing interviewer effects. Using data from a survey of the German Youth Institute Munich, this paper presents an application of the hierarchical regression model, which offers a comprehensive way of analyzing the simultaneous effects of specific interviewer and respondent characteristics. The results provide evidence that the participation on panel surveys is subject to interviewer, respondent as well as area characteristics.