Reliability of the Timeline Follow-Back sexual behavior interview

Abstract

The reliability of self-reported sexual behavior is a question of utmost importance to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention research. The Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) interview, which was developed to assess alcohol consumption on the event level, incorporates recall-enhancing techniques that result in reliable information. In this study, the TLFB interview was adapted to assess HIV-related sexual behaviors and their antecedents, and its reliability was assessed. The interview was administered to 110 participants (46% women, M age = 19.7; range = 18-41), and 58 participants who reported sexual behavior during the previous three months returned one week later for a second interview. Test-retest intraclass correlations (rho) from the TLFB protocol showed that all sexual behaviors were reported reliably (rho range = .86 to .97, median = .96). Bootstrapping, a nonparametric statistical technique, was used for significance testing in the reliability analyses. Reliability was equivalent across each of the three months assessed with the TLFB and was equivalent to conventional assessment methods (i.e. single-item questions). These findings show that the TLFB sexual behavior interview provides reliable reports of sexual behavior over three months and yields event-level data that are extremely valuable for sexual behavior and HIV-prevention research.

Medication Adherence Mediates the Relationship between Adherence Self-efficacy and Biological Assessments of HIV Health among those with Alcohol Use Disorders

“…Total current alcohol consumption was assessed using a timeline follow-back (Allen & Litten, 1992;Sobell & Sobell, 1992) during which an assessor asked participants to reflect back on the past thirty days, mark memorable events on the calendar as anchor points and then recall day by day number of standard drinks consumed. This calendar technique has been used to improve reliability and validity (Weinhardt et al, 1998). For purposes of our model, the Drinker Inventory of Negative Consequences (DrinC) was used to assess negative consequences of drinking for the past 90 days.…”

Affect and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents: A Review of the Literature and Comparison of Momentary Sampling With Diary and Retrospective Self-Report Methods of Measurement

“…This reliable method has been used extensively in substance use research 82 and specifically with adolescents for recall of both substance use 83 and sexual behavior. 83,84 The timeline followback calendar uses recall-enhancing techniques to provide a detailed assessment of substance use and coitus at the event level.…”

“…This reliable method has been used extensively in substance use research 82 and specifically with adolescents for recall of both substance use 83 and sexual behavior. 83,84 The timeline followback calendar uses recall-enhancing techniques to provide a detailed assessment of substance use and coitus at the event level.Because it would have been difficult to recall the specifics of affect on any given day, participants were asked to give a general impression of their affect for each of the 14 days, noting in particular days with the best and the worst affective states. The interview took ϳ30 minutes (more or less, depending on the frequency of substance use and sexual behavior).…”

A Brief Decisional Balance Intervention Increases Motivation and Behavior Regarding Condom Use in High-risk Heterosexual College Men

“…Participants averaged 2.95 (SD = 0.89) sexual partners in the past 3 months and reported using condoms approximately 52% of the time. In terms of partner types (defined by Weinhardt et al, 1998), participants used condoms 61% (38 out of 41 men) of the time with new or casual partners (defined as either first time sexual partners or partners known less than one month and with whom the participant had sex less than five times), and 31% (19 out of 41 men) of the time with regular partners (known longer than one month or with whom the participant had sex five or more times). Additionally, participants drank an average of 77.15 (SD = 43.54) drinks per month, averaging 12.39 (SD = 3.81) drinking days and 5.94 (SD = 1.67) drinks per occasion.…”