Using SHAQ in Your Research Project

You may use SHAQ free for your research project, just email Dr. Tom Stevens.

One simple way to use SHAQ in your research

SHAQ Features Related to Research:

1. SHAQ is available only through the Internet at There is no charge, and anyone can take it–including subjects for a research study.

2. SHAQ saves and/or prints out complete results for the user including all questions and responses, plus additional information, when someone completes it. Those results include both scale scores and individual question scores. Scale descriptions are also printed.

3. Previous research data can be made available. See links below. Currently we have completed frequency and correlational data analysis of all SHAQ users, and can make that data available. That data includes much biographical and criterion-related data (most of those questions are available on the SHAQ Results printout).

4. I can provide SPSS, SAS, or other statistical package-ready data that is complete. (Saves a lot of your work.)

5. I can include new or experimental scales within the SHAQ program that can be administered to special target groups of users over the Internet or to all users automatically. Those scale results may or may not be included in the SHAQ user results printouts.

Collaborative Research Projects

I am willing to participate in cooperative research projects that seem useful, ethical, and are practical within the limits of my available time. In a cooperative project, the researcher would furnish either the subjects, additional scales, or both to the project. (Or the scales might be developed cooperatively.) The researcher and I would then share the resultant data, and we could both do independent analyses or cooperative analyses of the data.  Note:  I am retired and not concerned about credits, so I don't need to share authorship unless I do a lot of the work.

Including New Scales Within SHAQ

If a researcher would like me to include a scale within the SHAQ system that automatically collects and scores all data and (may or may not be provided back to the subject in their SHAQ results), then the researcher would need to have copyright permission, and the scale would have to seem interesting and useful enough for inclusion. The added scale could then be given to either a restricted group of subjects (perhaps provided by the researcher) or a broader group. SHAQ can be programmed either..

Providing a Special Subject Group

I would be particularly interested in working with a researcher who would like to do creative research with SHAQ on special groups. A few examples include diagnosed in a clinical group such as a DSM depression group, comparing high versus low IQ, probationary versus high achievers, differing religious affiliations or behavior, divorced versus happily married couples, or managers [e. g. management performance ratings]; however, I am open to many types of special groups.

I would also like to see SHAQ scales used as independent or dependent variables in experimental research designs. If you have an interest in either type of research and the number of subjects and other research design aspects seem adequate, I would be particularly interested in collaborating with this type of research.

General Guidelines:

1. Provide an informal, simple written research design proposal via email, (rationale, variables, subjects/selection, etc.)

2. Give me a copy of any scales (and scoring keys) you may want to use and the legal written permission to use them.

3. Tell me how you will provide safeguards for confidentiality. If you are collecting data yourself or want data back from special subject groups you provide, explain how you will get subject permissions.

4. Give me information about yourself and your supervisor if you are a student or working for someone else.

Confidentiality Policy

Non-collaborative research. When SHAQ users receive the files or printouts of their results, those files or printouts become their property and they may use the as they like–including letting other researchers look at their results and complete data analysis of their results. (For example the researcher could correlate a SHAQ scale result with a scale the researcher had designed or use it as an independent or dependent variable in an experimental study.) The researcher must obtain permission from the user to receive their results. However, I also want to be notified of the research and given a copy of the research results. (Note that the SHAQ results would still have to be entered by hand into a computer program.)

Collaborative Research. In most cases of collaborative research I can provide analysis-ready data arranged in a format compatible with SPSS, SAS, or other statistical packages. Normally, I will delete identifying data of names and social security numbers unless the subjects have given permission to share identifying data. I would need a copies of all signed written permission statements.

 Simple Methods For Using SHAQ Scales For Research

How To Use SHAQ Without Dr. Stevens' Assistance

If you want to administer SHAQ (or any combination of SHAQ's scales--such as the SRQ Relationship scales or Academic Success scales) without Dr. Stevens assistance (you still need his approval), then use one of the following methods:

Method A:  Administer SHAQ via the Internet (by far the easiest)

1. Have the user/subject sign on to SHAQ and begin as normal.
   
2. Specify to the subject which boxes to check in the "Type of User" and "User Goals" pages of SHAQ.  These checks will determine which scales SHAQ presents to the subject. Normally, ALL OUTCOME SCALES (Happiness, Depression, Anxiety, Relationship Success, Income, Health Outcomes, etc) will be automatically presented. 
   NOTE: If you want to select exactly which scales are presented--including outcome scales--then the subject must do the following:  (1) check that he/she has taken the questionnaire previously (even though they haven't), (2) check that they want a "specific questionnaire"; (3) A popup will appears that allows the user to check exactly which scales they want to take. You can provide a list for them.  Of course you will want to do this all yourself and write down instructions of exactly what to do for your subjects.
3. Have the subject save the results to a file.
   
4. Copy the results from the file, and analyze the data. The results are spread throughout the file, so it would take some time.  In this method A, the test is much easier and reliable to administer, but the data may be harder to analyze.  See the sections below for more detail.
   

Method B: Administer SHAQ via a paper and pencil copy (Note:  No paper-and-pencil version of SHAQ exists, you must create your own.)

1. Take  SHAQ yourself to select the scales.  Then do a practice run on SHAQ using the exact scales you want to administer (see detail below).

2. Edit the file of Your SHAQ Results until you get the list of questions and alternatives you want to administer.  Create an answer sheet to record the data on.

3. Present the paper-and-pencil SHAQ version to the subjects and have them record their answers. Use that data for you analysis.

Additional Notes and Suggestions

Try SHAQ yourself first and choose which SHAQ scales you want to administer to your research subjects.  Take the entire SHAQ questionnaire seriously to experience what a user would experience.  Save your results to a file, and read through those results.  As you are reading, choose which scales you want to administer to your research subjects.  You can select some or all of the scales for your research.  You may want to use SHAQ for a class, thesis, doctoral dissertation,  publication, or other project.  There is no charge using SHAQ for nonprofit or other approved uses.

Use yourself and/or some other test subjects to get your procedure working smoothly. You will need to decide which Internet computers you will use.  For example, you might arrange for use of department or university computer lab computers for your subjects.  Actually go to one and sign on, find SHAQ, select the scales, and save the results.  As you log on, take SHAQ, and save the results and RECORD EVERY ACTION YOU TAKE on paper as a basis for your written subject instructions.  If you have problems (such as a browser having security settings that block Java Applets), talk to lab personnel about the problem.

NOTE: You will have to close and restart the Internet browser for EVERY administration of SHAQ.  That can be done quickly, but is a must.

How to select individual SHAQ scales.  One way to select sets of SHAQ scales to administer (such as those related to interpersonal or academic skills) is to check boxes that you want to be tested in those areas in the beginning pages of SHAQ.  However, it is also possible to select one or several SHAQ scales by the following steps.
 1-When the page comes on asking you about your preferences,  check the boxes for BOTH of the following:  PREVIOUS USER and WANT SPECIFIC TEST(s).
 2-Another page will appear later asking which questionnaires you want to take.  You can check whichever ones you want.  For example, if you just want the emotional coping and self-management scales only, then check those scales.  You can check whatever you want that you think you might want to take or administer.  Remember, your subjects must follow the same procedure.

How to save the results.  Both you and your subjects (or a supervising research administrator) will need to save the SHAQ results to a file. Work out the exact procedure you want to use on yourself and for others.  One suggestion.
1-Complete the questionnaire and SAVE THE RESULTS TO A FILE.  You could have each subject save to a different file on a new folder such as “\ResearchResults\” each w)ith a unique preassigned name or number.  The scale score results will be near the top of each file (already scored).

How to use the results in your data analysis.  You will probably be using a statistical program such as SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) to analyze your data.  In order to get your SHAQ results into the package, you can do the following.  (I will use the SPSS to stand for the program, but you can use whichever one you wish.)
1- Go into the saved SHAQ results and copy the scale scores into either an SPSS file other some other  file that SPSS can read.  Using a table in a Word table or in Excel (or some other spreadsheet program) is a good way to go. 
2-Convert the file or copy the results to an SPSS file and analyze the results using SPSS.

Please email for for permission, suggestions, feedback, etc, and PLEASE EMAIL A COPY OF YOUR STUDY AND RESULTS. Please send a copy of research paper to me (yes, even if you are an undergraduate).  That is all I want for use of SHAQ.  Thank you.

Email me at:  Tom G. Stevens PhD; tstevens@csulb.edu

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