Progress in response-shift research needs diverse approaches

We are grateful for the constructive letter by Skolasky who sees our work as providing “a framework to advance the operational definition of response shift in such a way that allows for the generation of testable hypotheses about response-shift phenomena” [1]. According to Skolasky [1], a major strength of our work is the clarity of the definition where response shift is explicitly defined as an effect that occurs over time and that influences the measurement of change. With respect to the revised model, he acknowledges the useful distinctions between the construct and the measure as well as between the how and the why response shift occurs. This distinction is particularly important as it allows for linkages with theories about coping and adaptation that provide explanations for why response shift occurs. We agree with Skolasky [1] that such linkages with different theories and methodological approaches are critical to advancing the field of response-shift research. …