Developing and Validating a Novel Anonymous Method for Matching Longitudinal School-Based Data

Abstract

<jats:p> Prospective longitudinal data collection is an important way for researchers and evaluators to assess change. In school-based settings, for low-risk and/or likely-beneficial interventions or surveys, data quality and ethical standards are both arguably stronger when using a waiver of parental consent—but doing so often requires the use of anonymous data collection methods. The standard solution to this problem has been the use of a self-generated identification code. However, such codes often incorporate personalized elements (e.g., birth month, middle initial) that, even when meeting the technical standard for anonymity, may raise concerns among both youth participants and their parents, potentially altering willingness to participate, response quality, or generating outrage. There may be value, therefore, in developing a self-generated identification code and matching approach that not only is technically anonymous but also appears anonymous to a research-naive individual. This article provides a proof of concept for a novel matching approach for school-based longitudinal data collection that potentially accomplishes this goal. </jats:p>

Matched and Fully Private? A New Self-Generated Identification Code for School-Based Cohort Studies to Increase Perceived Anonymity

“…Several studies have similar or shorter follow-up periods. For example, Agley et al (2021) tested an SGIC without personalized elements with a 2-week posttest. Conversely, some studies had periods of 18 months (Mc Alister & Gordon, 1986), 19 months (Isensee et al, 2012), or 24 months (Diiorio et al, 2000), but did not check whether or not matches were correct.…”

“…Referring to Gassman et al (2016), Agley et al (2021, p. 92) pointed out thatAt least one study has raised the possibility that some students will assume that research projects are being sponsored and conducted by the school and that the school may have an interest in using data punitively, producing heightened apprehension about anonymity and concomitant reluctance to participate.…”

“…For these reasons, it seems really valuable to develop an SGIC, which not only is technically anonymous but which also appears anonymous to a research-naive individual. According to Agley et al (2021, p. 92), “in the complex landscape of school-based research, individuals working with schools may wish to match data while ensuring both the reality and appearance of extreme difficulty in data reidentification.” These authors proposed an SGIC without personalized elements, but they tested neither perceived anonymity nor long-term stability (they only tested a 2-week period; Agley et al, 2021).…”

Effects of ACT Out! Social Issue Theater on Social-Emotional Competence and Bullying in Youth and Adolescents: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Thus, the project team developed and used a novel anonymous matching procedure based on unique self-generated identification code elements and machine-assisted weighted matching. This approach was sufficiently complex that it required a separate full-length manuscript to articulate [ 34 ], and a complete description would extend well beyond the scope of this paper.…”

“…When arriving to deliver interventions, it was discovered that 4 classrooms that had been allocated did not exist (n=3 schools). **Attendance differences by cluster are provided in supplemental material for the matching procedure paper [ 34 ].…”