Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol

Abby Dunn; James Alvarez; Amy Arbon; Stephen Bremner; Chloe Elsby-Pearson; Richard Emsley; Christopher Jones; Peter Lawrence; Kathryn J Lester; Mirjana Majdandžić; Natalie Morson; Nicky Perry; Julia Simner; Sam Cartwright-Hatton; Abi Thomson

doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol

Abby Dunn, James Alvarez, Amy Arbon, Stephen Bremner, Chloe Elsby-Pearson, Richard Emsley, Christopher Jones, Peter Lawrence, Kathryn J Lester, Mirjana Majdandžić, Natalie Morson, Nicky Perry, Julia Simner, Sam Cartwright-Hatton, Abi Thomson

Sussex Univ Hosp, University of Sussex, Sussex Cardiac Ctr
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
6Global health & Infection, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK.
University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Parent-report questionnaires are a common method of generating data on child outcomes in mental health studies. A second report from another person who knows the child (co-respondent) is implemented to reduce bias and increase objectivity. The success of this approach is dependent on the engagement of co-respondents, which can be difficult. Financial incentives are used to increase data return in clinical trials, and to promote referral rates in online marketing. This protocol describes the use of an embedded randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effect of financial incentives on rates of co-respondent data completion. In the host RCT (of an online intervention designed to reduce the impact of a parent's anxiety on their child) index participants (i.e. parents) are asked to invite a co-respondent to complete measures on the index child. This study will test the hypothesis that providing monetary incentives to index participants will increase the outcome measure completion rate of co-respondents.

METHODS: Embedded RCT of two parallel groups. Participants in the intervention arm will be sent a £10 voucher if their chosen co-respondent completes online baseline measures. Participants in the control arm will not be offered payment regardless of their chosen co-respondent's behaviour. 1754 participants will take part. Analysis will compare co-respondent outcome measure completion rates between the two arms at baseline and follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Findings from this study will provide evidence on the impact of offering payment to index participants on return rates of co-respondent data. This will inform resource allocation within future clinical trials.

Original language	English
Article number	101090
Pages (from-to)	101090
Journal	Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications
Volume	32
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090
Publication status	Published - Apr 2023

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10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

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Dunn, A., Alvarez, J., Arbon, A., Bremner, S., Elsby-Pearson, C., Emsley, R., Jones, C., Lawrence, P., Lester, K. J., Majdandžić, M., Morson, N., Perry, N., Simner, J., Cartwright-Hatton, S., & Thomson, A. (2023). Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 32, 101090. Article 101090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

@article{a0d50f1c2335495ab7e9cb42ac2a307c,

title = "Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Parent-report questionnaires are a common method of generating data on child outcomes in mental health studies. A second report from another person who knows the child (co-respondent) is implemented to reduce bias and increase objectivity. The success of this approach is dependent on the engagement of co-respondents, which can be difficult. Financial incentives are used to increase data return in clinical trials, and to promote referral rates in online marketing. This protocol describes the use of an embedded randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effect of financial incentives on rates of co-respondent data completion. In the host RCT (of an online intervention designed to reduce the impact of a parent's anxiety on their child) index participants (i.e. parents) are asked to invite a co-respondent to complete measures on the index child. This study will test the hypothesis that providing monetary incentives to index participants will increase the outcome measure completion rate of co-respondents.METHODS: Embedded RCT of two parallel groups. Participants in the intervention arm will be sent a £10 voucher if their chosen co-respondent completes online baseline measures. Participants in the control arm will not be offered payment regardless of their chosen co-respondent's behaviour. 1754 participants will take part. Analysis will compare co-respondent outcome measure completion rates between the two arms at baseline and follow-up.CONCLUSION: Findings from this study will provide evidence on the impact of offering payment to index participants on return rates of co-respondent data. This will inform resource allocation within future clinical trials.",

author = "Abby Dunn and James Alvarez and Amy Arbon and Stephen Bremner and Chloe Elsby-Pearson and Richard Emsley and Christopher Jones and Peter Lawrence and Lester, {Kathryn J} and Mirjana Majdand{\v z}i{\'c} and Natalie Morson and Nicky Perry and Julia Simner and Sam Cartwright-Hatton and Abi Thomson",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for the trial provided by the Kavli Trust [ 38/19 ] with support from the University of Sussex . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "101090",

journal = "Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications",

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publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

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Dunn, A, Alvarez, J, Arbon, A, Bremner, S, Elsby-Pearson, C, Emsley, R, Jones, C, Lawrence, P, Lester, KJ, Majdandžić, M, Morson, N, Perry, N, Simner, J, Cartwright-Hatton, S & Thomson, A 2023, 'Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 32, 101090, pp. 101090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol. / Dunn, Abby; Alvarez, James; Arbon, Amy et al.
In: Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, Vol. 32, 101090, 04.2023, p. 101090.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents

T2 - An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol

AU - Dunn, Abby

AU - Alvarez, James

AU - Arbon, Amy

AU - Bremner, Stephen

AU - Elsby-Pearson, Chloe

AU - Emsley, Richard

AU - Jones, Christopher

AU - Lawrence, Peter

AU - Lester, Kathryn J

AU - Majdandžić, Mirjana

AU - Morson, Natalie

AU - Perry, Nicky

AU - Simner, Julia

AU - Cartwright-Hatton, Sam

AU - Thomson, Abi

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - BACKGROUND: Parent-report questionnaires are a common method of generating data on child outcomes in mental health studies. A second report from another person who knows the child (co-respondent) is implemented to reduce bias and increase objectivity. The success of this approach is dependent on the engagement of co-respondents, which can be difficult. Financial incentives are used to increase data return in clinical trials, and to promote referral rates in online marketing. This protocol describes the use of an embedded randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effect of financial incentives on rates of co-respondent data completion. In the host RCT (of an online intervention designed to reduce the impact of a parent's anxiety on their child) index participants (i.e. parents) are asked to invite a co-respondent to complete measures on the index child. This study will test the hypothesis that providing monetary incentives to index participants will increase the outcome measure completion rate of co-respondents.METHODS: Embedded RCT of two parallel groups. Participants in the intervention arm will be sent a £10 voucher if their chosen co-respondent completes online baseline measures. Participants in the control arm will not be offered payment regardless of their chosen co-respondent's behaviour. 1754 participants will take part. Analysis will compare co-respondent outcome measure completion rates between the two arms at baseline and follow-up.CONCLUSION: Findings from this study will provide evidence on the impact of offering payment to index participants on return rates of co-respondent data. This will inform resource allocation within future clinical trials.

AB - BACKGROUND: Parent-report questionnaires are a common method of generating data on child outcomes in mental health studies. A second report from another person who knows the child (co-respondent) is implemented to reduce bias and increase objectivity. The success of this approach is dependent on the engagement of co-respondents, which can be difficult. Financial incentives are used to increase data return in clinical trials, and to promote referral rates in online marketing. This protocol describes the use of an embedded randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effect of financial incentives on rates of co-respondent data completion. In the host RCT (of an online intervention designed to reduce the impact of a parent's anxiety on their child) index participants (i.e. parents) are asked to invite a co-respondent to complete measures on the index child. This study will test the hypothesis that providing monetary incentives to index participants will increase the outcome measure completion rate of co-respondents.METHODS: Embedded RCT of two parallel groups. Participants in the intervention arm will be sent a £10 voucher if their chosen co-respondent completes online baseline measures. Participants in the control arm will not be offered payment regardless of their chosen co-respondent's behaviour. 1754 participants will take part. Analysis will compare co-respondent outcome measure completion rates between the two arms at baseline and follow-up.CONCLUSION: Findings from this study will provide evidence on the impact of offering payment to index participants on return rates of co-respondent data. This will inform resource allocation within future clinical trials.

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U2 - 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

DO - 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

M3 - Article

C2 - 36865678

SN - 2451-8654

VL - 32

SP - 101090

JO - Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications

JF - Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications

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Dunn A, Alvarez J, Arbon A, Bremner S, Elsby-Pearson C, Emsley R et al. Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2023 Apr;32:101090. 101090. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101090

Investigating the effect of providing monetary incentives to participants on completion rates of referred co-respondents: An embedded randomized controlled trial. Study within a trial (SWAT) protocol

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