Bayesian factor analysis for multilevel binary observations

Multilevel covariance structure models have become increasingly popular in the psychometric literature in the past few years to account for population heterogeneity and complex study designs. We develop practical simulation based procedures for Bayesian inference of multilevel binary factor analysis models. We illustrate how Markov Chain Monte Carlo procedures such as Gibbs sampling and Metropolis-Hastings methods can be used to perform Bayesian inference, model checking and model comparison without the need for multidimensional numerical integration. We illustrate the proposed estimation methods using three simulation studies and an application involving student's achievement results in different areas of mathematics. The authors thank Ian Westbury, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign for kindly providing the SIMS data for the application.     

Generalized latent trait models

In this paper we discuss a general model framework within which manifest variables with different distributions in the exponential family can be analyzed with a latent trait model. A unified maximum likelihood method for estimating the parameters of the generalized latent trait model will be presented. We discuss in addition the scoring of individuals on the latent dimensions. The general framework presented allows, not only the analysis of manifest variables all of one type but also the simultaneous analysis of a collection of variables with different distributions. The approach used analyzes the data as they are by making assumptions about the distribution of the manifest variables directly.     

Uses and Abuses of Ideology in Political Psychology

Ideology is a central construct in political psychology. Even so, the field's strong claims about an ideological public rarely engage evidence of enormous individual differences: a minority with real ideological coherence and weak to nonexistent political belief organization for everyone else. Here, I bridge disciplinary gaps by showing the limits of mass political ideology with several popular measures and components—self-identification, core political values (egalitarian and traditionalism's resistance to change), and policy indices—in representative U.S. surveys across four decades (Ns ~ 13 k–37 k), plus panel data testing stability. Results show polar, coherent, stable, and potent ideological orientations only among the most knowledgeable 20–30% of citizens. That heterogeneity means full-sample tests overstate ideology for most people but understate it for knowledgeable citizens. Whether through top-down opinion leadership or bottom-up ideological reasoning, organized political belief systems require political attention and understanding to form. Finally, I show that convenience samples make trouble for ideology generalizations. I conclude by proposing analytic best practices to help avoid overclaiming ideology in the public. Taken together, what first looks like strong and broad ideology is actually ideological innocence for most and meaningful ideology for a few.     

Parent engagement in an original and culturally adapted evidence-based parenting program,Legacy for Children™

Legacy for Children™ (Legacy) is an evidence-based program focused on promoting sensitive, responsive parenting for socioeconomically disadvantaged families. Legacy has recently been culturally and linguistically adapted for Spanish-monolingual Latino families and is being piloted in partnership with an early childhood education program. We conducted a mixed methods study to identify barriers and facilitators to engagement, using program monitoring data sources from both participant and group leader perspectives. We conducted qualitative analyses of open-ended data to identify distinct barriers (e.g., employment challenges, health-related challenges and appointments) and facilitators (e.g., other mothers in group, interest in program topics) to engagement that emerged across English and Spanish language curriculum versions; curriculum-specific barriers and facilitators were also documented. We interpret these findings in light of quantitative data on measures of engagement, showing that participants in the Spanish curriculum evidenced comparable levels of parent–group leader relationship quality relative to the English group, and higher levels of parent's group support/connectedness and overall satisfaction. These results offer promising considerations for optimizing families’ engagement in parenting programs in the context of early care and education settings.     

N-of-1 methods: A practical guide to exploring trajectories of behaviour change and designing precision behaviour change interventions

Objectives(1) To introduce N-of-1 methods and how they can help the researchers identify predictors of behavioural outcomes, (2) to provide examples of studies that test individual theory-based predictions of physical activity and/or exercise; (3) to provide a practical example dataset to illustrate how to design and undertake a basic analysis for an N-of-1 study; and (4) to suggest a future agenda for N-of-1 physical activity and exercise research.DesignFactors for consideration when designing an N-of-1 study include variability of predictors and outcomes, assessment frequency and appropriate analysis methods. Existing literature and piloting can help inform these aspects.MethodsWe use a dataset of 24 individuals who collected data over 28 days to illustrate example analysis procedures. Data, guidance and associated SPSS and R syntax are made available to provide researchers with tools to learn about and practice N-of-1 analysis.ResultsGuidance on dealing with missing data, looking at graphical representations of N-of-1 data, managing autocorrelation using the prewhitening method and analysing N-of-1 datasets is provided. Using the example dataset, we demonstrate how to identify antecedents of physical activity (steps) to assess directionality of associations. We also include an overview of aggregating N-of-1 datasets using multilevel modelling.ConclusionsN-of-1 methodology provides a means of tracking individual patterns of behaviour and identifying potential antecedents of physical activity and exercise to help determine causality. Assisted by mobile technologies, there is great potential to enrich our understanding of movement behaviour using this approach to inform interventions.     

The assistant referees’ activity in refereeing elite football: Preoccupations when not judging offside

ObjectiveThe purpose of this research was to study the preoccupations assistant referees had to participate in decision making about duels during football games.DesignResearch adopted a phenomenological framework to investigate the assistant referees’ lived experiences in order to understand their activity when they judged duels in match.MethodThis study investigated six professional football matches. Researchers conducted a participatory observation of the refereeing team before each match. Twelve self-confrontation interviews with each assistant referee of each match were conducted in order to make him/her describing his/her unfolding lived experience during the match.ResultsIn case of players’ duels, the perception of contextual cues enabled the assistants to appraise the occurring of a decision process with the central referee. For the assistants, the occurring of a decision process with the central referee meant his priority to intervene in the adjudication of duels, while the absence of decision process with the central referee meant for the assistants the possibility to intervene. The assistants adjusted their way of judging duels to how the central referee judged the previous ones.ConclusionsThe participation of assistants in decision making about duels depends on their preoccupations concerning the central referee’s priority. The way assistants perceive the central referee’s contextual judgment shapes the way they adjudicate duels. A latent intention to coordinate with the central referee, in relation with their collaborative tasks, is embedded in their preoccupations. Our results are a platform to develop further research about the referees’ collective activity.     

Change process in systemic therapy: A qualitative investigation

This study addresses the process of therapeutic change in individuals who received systemic therapy. This study is an exploratory qualitative study based on the client's perceptions and therapeutic experiences. The sample included 10 clients who had completed their therapy with systemic therapists. The method used for the collection of the data was semi‐structured interviews (Change Interview; Elliott, Slatick, & Urman, 2001). The interviews were analysed using grounded theory analysis. The results showed that both specific and common factors in therapy function in a co‐occurring mode, hence suggesting a synergy effect between common factors and specific techniques or therapist factors in psychotherapy. The core category ‘experience of therapeutic change, within the secure frame of therapy, is a process of deconstructing and reconstructing the house you live in: Yourself’ emerged based on self‐exploration and self‐discovery and is then discussed in a theoretical constructivist framework. Implications for research on the issue of the process of therapeutic change are discussed.     

Introducing the Fourth Wave of the National Congregations Study

The fourth wave of the National Congregations Study (NCS-IV) was conducted in 2018–2019 with a nationally representative sample of congregations from across the religious spectrum. The NCS-IV included a fresh cross-section of congregations generated in conjunction with the 2018 General Social Survey and a panel of congregations that participated in the third NCS wave. Data were collected via a 65-minute interview with one key informant from 1,262 congregations. The cooperation rate was 74 percent; the conservatively calculated response rate was 69 percent. Information was gathered about multiple aspects of congregations’ social composition, structure, activities, leadership, and programming. Approximately two-thirds of the NCS-IV questionnaire replicates items from previous NCS waves. This introduction to the NCS-IV symposium describes NCS-IV methodology and special features of the new data. The three symposium articles present NCS-IV results about congregations’ political activities, racial and ethnic composition, and worship practices.     

On the definition of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) has a long history as a behavioral treatment. The term has usually been defined in a manner that suggests one form of behavior (usually some appropriate alternative) is reinforced, while another form of behavior (usually problem behavior) is placed on extinction. In this paper, we will suggest that DRA should not require extinction, either procedurally or by definition. Ideally, problem behavior would be placed on extinction when possible; however, when problem behavior is not or cannot be placed on extinction, the procedure used is still DRA. Thus, we propose the following definition: Providing greater reinforcement, along at least one dimension, contingent on the occurrence of one form or type of behavior, while minimizing reinforcement for another form or type of behavior.