Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (CASI)

Computer assisted self-interviewing (CASI) is a technique for survey data collection in which the respondent uses a computer to complete the survey questionnaire without an interviewer administering it to the respondent. This assumes the respondent can read well (enough) or that the respondent can hear the questions well in cases in which the questions are prerecorded and the audio is played back for the respondent one question at a time (audio computer assisted self-interviewing—ACASI).

A primary rationale for CASI is that some questions are so sensitive that if researchers hope to obtain an accurate answer, respondents must use a highly confidential method of responding. For a successful CASI effort, the survey effort must consider three factors: (1) the design of the questions, (2) the limitations of ...