Pretesting Supporting Statement B

SUPPORTING STATEMENT B

FOR OMB CLEARANCE

Pre-testing of Evaluation Surveys

0970-0355

September 2011

Submitted By:

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

Administration for Children and Families

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

7^th Floor, West Aerospace Building

370 L’Enfant Promenade, SW

Washington, D.C. 20447

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

The data collected will be used for questionnaire development activities. For the most part, the small-scale testing activities undertaken as part of this clearance have and will involve purposive samples with respondents selected either to cover a broad range of demographic subgroups or to include specific characteristics related to the topic of the survey. In some instances, a probability sample may be drawn, for example, for mail surveys or to permit statistical comparisons about the effectiveness of alternative procedural treatments. A description of the plans for selecting respondents for each individual test will be provided to OMB at the time the questionnaires are submitted.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

Data collection procedures for the testing conducted under this clearance will be varied and will most likely include in-person or telephone interviews and mail surveys. Statistical results will address a variety of issues including response rates, item non-response rates, frequency distributions of data items, and analysis of behavior coding and respondent debriefing data. More specific information about data collection procedures will be contained in the description provided to OMB at the time the questionnaires are submitted.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

In general, callbacks will be used to maximize response rates in telephone surveys; reminder phone calls or letters or second questionnaires will be used to maximize response rates in mail surveys. Reminder phone calls and/or letters to participants will be used to encourage them to keep their appointments. Tallies will be kept of the number of non-respondents to all testing activities. More specific information will be contained in the description provided to OMB at the time the questionnaires are submitted.

4. Testing of Procedures

This entire submission consists of tests of data collection instruments and survey procedures. ACF expects that all the tests conducted under this clearance will result in improved questionnaires and/or procedures and thus reduced respondent burden.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

Advice on statistical aspects of each individual survey will be sought as the testing program proceeds. Depending on the nature of the research, ACF/OPRE staff and research and evaluation contractors will have responsibility for data collection and analysis. Steven Hanmer (202-401-5651) is the ACF contact person for general questions about data collection and analysis. Other contact persons for questions regarding data collection and statistical aspects of the design will be provided to OMB at the time the questionnaires are submitted.

Attachments

Attachment A provides an example of instruments that were previously approved under this generic. Attachment B is a report highlighting the use of the generic IC during the first three years, including the number of hours used, as well as the nature and results of the activities completed under this generic clearance.