What does this research mean for the field?

While the administration order of repeated relationship questionnaires does not substantially alter their internal consistency or factorial structure, it can significantly influence criterion validity and the accuracy of correlations between measured constructs. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine whether questionnaire administration conditions and presentation order affect the psychometric validity of surveys concurrently measuring attachment to mothers and fathers.

August 25, 2026Personal RelationshipsOpen Access

Does Order Matter? The Impact of Methodological Decisions in Survey Research Concurrently Examining Attachment to Mothers and Fathers

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Authors

AGAriane J. GauthierInstitut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec NKNatalie KirbyInstitut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec JBJean‐François BureauUniversity of Ottawa

Discussion

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Implication

Survey experiment reveals that presentation order of parental attachment questionnaires alters mental health correlations in undergraduates, indicating subtle impacts on criterion validity.

Key Points

To examine whether questionnaire administration conditions and presentation order affect the psychometric validity of surveys concurrently measuring attachment to mothers and fathers.
Conducted an online survey experiment manipulating questionnaire administration format and presentation order of maternal and paternal attachment assessments.
Sampled N=1046 undergraduate students (72.9% women) assessing attachment dimensions and mental health symptoms.
Evaluated psychometric outcomes via insufficient effort responding metrics, internal consistency, factorial structure, correlation comparisons, and multigroup path analyses.
Experimental manipulations did not significantly affect insufficient effort responding rates, internal consistency, observed scores, or factorial structure.
Correlation analyses indicated that administering mother and father versions side by side or completely sequentially yielded the most accurate inter-parent correlations.
Multigroup path analyses demonstrated that administration condition and presentation order altered specific associations between attachment dimensions and mental health symptoms.

Cite This Study

Gauthier et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8d6933e8bd2413309bc42c https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.70083

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Implication

Survey experiment reveals that presentation order of parental attachment questionnaires alters mental health correlations in undergraduates, indicating subtle impacts on criterion validity.

Does Order Matter? The Impact of Methodological Decisions in Survey Research Concurrently Examining Attachment to Mothers and Fathers

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Does Order Matter? The Impact of Methodological Decisions in Survey Research Concurrently Examining Attachment to Mothers and Fathers

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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Also Consider