Conferences

The readiness to participate in voluntary interviews is selective. Particularly foreigners, immigrants and persons with migration background take part in interviews lass frequently. At first it is necessary to analyse the effect of well-known procedures for the diminution of participation failures in order to be able to develop specific strategies to increase the readiness to participate of these persons. More than 10.000 persons of the birth cohorts 1956-1988 were interviewed on the basis of a registration office sample with the help of computer-assisted telephonic interviews in the context of the ALWA study. To be able to formulate as representative statements as possible on the base of this sample, special values concerning the avoidance of failure quotas regarding foreigners, immigrants and persons with migration background were ascribed. To avoid increased failure quotas with non-German-speaking persons foreign-language interviews conducted by foreign-language interviews were additionally offered. Furthermore was tried to recognize a bias by non-attendance. If no phone numbers of selected people were found, a short questionnaire would be sent to them by mail.

In our presentation we explain which of the strategies used in the ALWA study have influenced the foreigners, immigrants and persons with migration background readiness to participate the most. To what extend can we increase the readiness of these persons to participate through interviews held in their first languages at voluntary elevations? Is it possible to reduce the selectivity of the willingness to participate with this strategy? Is it possible to formulate general statements concerning selectivity by using non-response questionnaires regarding the non-attendance of foreigners, immigrants and persons with migration background?