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Youth Nonresponse in Panel Surveys: Investigating the Impact of Life Events

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  • Salvatore, Camilla
  • Lugtig, Peter
  • Struminskaya, Bella

Abstract

Nonresponse in surveys is particularly problematic among young people in both cross-sectional and panel studies. This article investigates the factors driving lower participation rates among young people in longitudinal surveys. We study whether nonresponse can be explained by young people experiencing more life events associated with disengagement from panel surveys. Using data from the Understanding Society panel in the United Kingdom, we employ a discrete-time multinomial logistic hazard model to study nonresponse across panel waves. Consistent with previous research, our analysis identifies lower education, unemployment, immigrant background, and residential circumstances as key predictors of nonresponse. Furthermore, we demonstrate that changes in employment status and (expectations of) residential relocation significantly contribute to predicting attrition among young participants, with age remaining a significant factor. Living with parents also plays an important role, as it is associated with a lower risk of non-contact.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvatore, Camilla & Lugtig, Peter & Struminskaya, Bella, 2025. "Youth Nonresponse in Panel Surveys: Investigating the Impact of Life Events," SocArXiv br9ng_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:br9ng_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/br9ng_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kristen Olson, 2013. "Paradata for Nonresponse Adjustment," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 645(1), pages 142-170, January.
    2. Jonathan Burton & Heather Laurie & Peter Lynn, 2006. "The long‐term effectiveness of refusal conversion procedures on longitudinal surveys," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 169(3), pages 459-478, July.
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    4. Annamaria Bianchi & Silvia Biffignandi, 2019. "Social Indicators to Explain Response in Longitudinal Studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 931-957, February.
    5. Ori Heffetz & Daniel B. Reeves, 2019. "Difficulty of Reaching Respondents and Nonresponse Bias: Evidence from Large Government Surveys," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(1), pages 176-191, March.
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    8. Douglas S. Massey & Roger Tourangeau, 2013. "Where Do We Go from Here? Nonresponse and Social Measurement," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 645(1), pages 222-236, January.
    9. Joseph W. Sakshaug & Jonas Beste & Mark Trappmann, 2023. "Effects of mixing modes on nonresponse and measurement error in an economic panel survey," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 57(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Sakshaug, Joseph & Beste, Jonas & Trappmann, Mark, 2023. "Effects of mixing modes on nonresponse and measurement error in an economic panel survey," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 57, pages 1-2.
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