Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.35.4.02
"I Prefer Not to Answer" - Analysis of Missing Data in Adolescent Research
Neda Pleić
; University Hospital Centre Split, Department of Clinical Psychology, Split, Croatia
*
Una Mikac
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Gordana Keresteš
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Participants in research often do not answer all the questions in questionnaires, and the reasons for non-response remain insufficiently understood. To further our understanding of the reasons for missing data in adolescent research, 528 early adolescents (51.7% boys) completed seven psychological questionnaires administered by computer, with a Prefer not to answer option provided. Adolescents, particularly girls, most frequently avoided answering questions about pubertal status (MAR pattern). Adolescents with missing responses in the anxiety sensitivity and adverse childhood experiences questionnaires reported more mental health difficulties than those who answered all the questions in these questionnaires (MAR pattern). Adolescents with more adverse childhood experiences and negative current experiences, as well as, contrary to expectations, those with lower environmental sensitivity, were more likely not to answer questions (MNAR pattern). These findings highlight the importance of topic sensitivity in the occurrence of missing data in adolescent research and may help researchers design strategies to reduce systematic non-response in questionnaires.
Keywords
adolescents; psychological research; missing data; sensitive questions; gender differences
Hrčak ID:
352971
URI
Publication date:
4.11.2026.
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