other response options to create comparable frequency intervals across studies, thereby obtaining a common set of frequency intervals across the response options for these two studies. For Study 1, we can convert the responses to annualized estimates by multiplying the monthly average by 12, and then bin the responses into the same common set of intervals as Studies 2 and 3. Recoding the data this way results in the harmonized item shown in the right column of Table 1. The harmonized item is designed to be equivalent across studies in time frame and response options; however, it may still not be truly commensurate because different responses to the item may continue to reflect factors other than actual individual differences in alcohol use. In fact, the assumption that all individuals interpret and respond to the item in the same way is more tenuous in this measurement scenario, since the item was not in fact administered in an identical format across studies, enhancing the potential for context effects.
