Asking sensitive questions can be tricky and must be approached with finesse. Poorly worded questions can lead to inaccurate data and damage the trust between you and your respondents. In this blog post, we will discuss guidelines for asking sensitive survey questions that help you collect accurate data without compromising privacy. We will also provide examples of sensitive survey questions that get insight into people’s experiences without making them uncomfortable. Additionally, we will highlight pitfalls to avoid when crafting sensitive survey questions so that you can make sense of the responses with empathy. 

Guidelines to Ask Sensitive Questions in a Survey

Sensitive questions are the ones which might probe people on certain products like intimate products, beliefs like political and religious beliefs and personal questions based on events and illegal behaviours. Curating survey questions carefully is the key to bringing fruitful answers from respondents without making them feel embarrassed or in a spotlight. Here are some pointers to note before developing surveys for sensitive queries.

Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity

To obtain accurate responses from sensitive survey questions related to using intimate products, religious beliefs, gender identity and other personal questions, it is crucial to ensure confidentiality. Administrators can achieve this by using anonymous surveys or assuring respondents that their personal information will be kept confidential. An option for anonymity or confidentiality options at the beginning of the survey introduction can help you build rapport with your target audience.

Leading up to sensitive questions

Establishing a connection with the survey respondents is crucial before asking sensitive survey questions. Begin by initiating small talk or asking general non-intrusive queries to break the ice and build rapport. You can then move on to more specific but still non-threatening open-ended questions. It’s important to avoid biased questioning as they could influence the participants’ responses negatively.

Providing context

Providing context helps participants understand why their answers are needed and how they will be used. To increase your response rate and ensure accurate responses, consider providing answer options such as skip logic or allowing respondents to opt-out of answering sensitive topics.

Using ranges over specific values

Using ranges instead of specific values is a great strategy when it comes to survey questions on sensitive topics. This approach allows for greater accuracy in responses and helps alleviate concerns about confidentiality. Clear and concise answer options presented towards the end of the survey, help the target audience make accurate responses without being too personal.

Adopt “question loading” strategies

To make respondents feel more comfortable answering sensitive survey questions, normalization techniques such as “question loading” and framing the question in a broader context are recommended. Ranges should be used instead of specific values for personal information such as income or age. With these techniques, a respondent might feel assured to answer questions without bias.

Asking frequency questions over Yes/No questions

A dichotomous question might feel like an aggressive approach for a respondent and they might refuse to answer. To keep the finesse of the survey intact, offer frequency-type questions instead of yes/no questions. Using a frequency question, you can gain more nuanced insights into personal information of the respondents and other sensitive topics. Additionally, respondents feel more comfortable answering these types of questions since they offer more flexibility.

Providing an opt-out option

It is recommended that you provide an “out” option such as a “prefer not to say” or “unsure”. This ensures that respondents feel comfortable while answering personal questions. If a question feels too intrusive, the respondent can opt out of answering the query without making it a mandate in the survey. To maintain anonymity and confidentiality, clear and non-judgmental language should be used in the survey introduction.

Empathize with respondents

Offering empathy even via survey questionnaires is an underrated hallmark. It is necessary to avoid framing questions in a way that seem aggressive or direct. This may deter people from answering. Certain customer satisfaction scales such as a net promoter score or NPS may not always be accurate when probing on intimate products or seeking responses for sexual health. Offer empathy via question wording and ease respondents into sharing their responses gradually.

What are some examples of sensitive questions that may be included in a survey?

Examples of sensitive questions that may be included in a survey are questions about personal finances, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or mental health. It’s important to handle these questions with sensitivity, ensure respondent anonymity, and provide options for skipping or opting out of answering.

Conclusion

Asking sensitive questions in surveys can be a daunting task, but it’s crucial for gathering accurate data. When dealing with sensitive subjects, it’s important to ensure confidentiality, provide context, and use techniques like question loading and frequency questions. However, there are also pitfalls to avoid, such as not providing an “out” or asking leading questions. Empathy is key when crafting survey questions that address sensitive topics.

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