Cross validation of some psychometric properties of the CSQ and its differential return rate as a function of token financial incentive

Abstract

The Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) was developed by Larsen, Atkisson, Hargreaves, and Nguyen (1979) and has been mentioned as a possible "standard scale" for the evaluation of consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment because of its unidimensionality, reliability, validity and ease of use. A mail survey of ex-clients who had terminated treatment during the preceding year from one of six offices of a regional mental health center in the Rocky Mountain area strongly cross-validated these characteristics as well as other results from the consumer satisfaction literature. In addition, based upon evidence from marketing research, a randomly selected half of the ex-clients surveyed was offered a token inducement of two cents for returning the questionnaire while the other half was not. A significantly greater proportion of ex-clients who received the token inducement returned their questionnaires than did those who had not. This approach appears to be promising and further research with it is indicated.