How assaults against police officers unfold: identifying incident scenarios using latent class and latent transition analysis

Using Latent Profile Analysis and Related Approaches in Adolescent Health Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how receptive police officers are to having women as partners and supervisors at work in a cross-national context. Specifically, it compares male and female police officers’ views on women in policing along three dimensions in Dubai and Taipei: perceived efficacy of women in policing; receptiveness of women at work (as partners and supervisor); and perceived women’s role in police work. Design/methodology/approach Surveys (with the same instrument) were conducted with 622 officers (344 male and 278 female officers) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and 391 officers (297 male and 94 female officers) in Taipei, Taiwan. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to compare male and female officers’ views on women in policing in both countries. Findings It was found that female officers (in Dubai and Taipei) were more likely than their male colleagues to see women as capable and effective in performing police duties. Compared to their colleagues in Taiwan, the Emirati male and female officers were more likely to be supportive of women’s restricted role in policing. Dubai male officers were less likely to be receptive to working at a unit with a female as their supervisor in comparison to their female colleagues in both countries. Research limitations/implications Although this study provides important information from a cross-national perspective, caution should be taken while interpreting these findings. The gender roles embedded in Islamic cultures seem to explain Dubai officers’ favorable attitudes toward women’s restricted role in policing. Future studies should incorporate in-depth interviews to explain why officers in Dubai prefer women’s restricted roles in policing. Practical implications The statistical analyses show that officers with higher levels of confidence not only held more positive attitudes toward women in policing, but also were more receptive to having women as their partners and supervisors. It suggests that confident officers would be more open-minded and welcome the entry of women into police work. By offering training courses that enhance officers’ work confidence, police organizations in both countries might well cultivate a welcoming work environment for women. Social implications If police organizations in Taiwan and the UAE instill cultures with an emphasis less on masculine traits than on collaborative style, male officers might free themselves from traditional gender norms and become more welcoming to women who work in policing. Originality/value Previous scholarly efforts on examining different areas of women in policing have mainly focused on police officers in western countries, leaving a relative scarcity of information about how officers perceive women’s role in policing in the other parts of the globe. Female officers have to work hand in hand with male officers in policing. To enhance the efficiency of deployment and cohesion of work relationship among male and female officers, it is important to understand how male officers perceive women’s roles in policing and how receptive they are to having women as partners. Understanding their perceptions from both sides can help administrations initiate effective training and educational programs.

In light of the increased recruitment of females into the police force in Taiwan, it is important to understand officers' attitudes toward women in policing. What is the nature of such attitudes? Are male and female officers equally receptive to gender integration in policing? Using data gathered from 391 police officers (297 males and 94 females) in the metropolitan area of Taipei, this study compared male and female officers' attitudes toward women in policing and gender role orientations. The findings indicated that male officers significantly differed from their female colleagues in several attitudinal dimensions. The findings revealed that although male officers cast doubts on female officers' capability and efficacy as police officers, they considered equal treatment to be essential – that is, female officers should perform exactly the same or similar duties as male officers. Moreover, officers who were in supervisory positions were more likely to support gender integration, and those officers who had more confidence in police work were more likely to have positive appraisal of female officers. Nevertheless, officers with a longer tenure in the police force were less likely to hold positive perceptions of women in policing. In comparison with male officers, female officers were less likely to be supportive of gender integration that demands women to perform exactly the same or similar duties as males. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are addressed.

Latent class analysis (LCA) provides a means of identifying a mixture of subgroups in a population measured by multiple categorical indicators. Latent transition analysis (LTA) is a type of LCA that facilitates addressing research questions concerning stage-sequential change over time in longitudinal data. Both approaches have been used with increasing frequency in the social sciences. The objective of this article is to illustrate data augmentation (DA), a Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure that can be used to obtain parameter estimates and standard errors for LCA and LTA models. By use of DA it is possible to construct hypothesis tests concerning not only standard model parameters but also combinations of parameters, affording tremendous flexibility. DA is demonstrated with an example involving tests of ethnic differences, gender differences, and an Ethnicity x Gender interaction in the development of adolescent problem behavior.

As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education researchers continue to explore ways to increase college student persistence in STEM fields, the affective domain (e.g., attitudes, perceptions, and self-efficacy) stands out as an area that can significantly impact these efforts. Latent class analysis (LCA) and latent transition analysis (LTA) are mixture modeling approaches that take a person-centered approach to quantitative research, which can help us to further our efforts to diversify STEM fields. This study seeks to use LCA and LTA to investigate how students' attitudes toward science in general chemistry evolve over a semester. Using the Modified Attitudes toward Science Inventory (mATSI), we grouped students based on their responses to pre- and postsurvey items from the mATSI. We found three distinct groups (classes) of students at the beginning of the semester: (i) students with strong desires to pursue science fields and high self-belief in their abilities to do well in science courses (high-high), (ii) students with moderate desires and low self-belief (mod-low), and (iii) students with moderate desires to pursue science fields and moderate self-belief (mod-mod). Over the course of the semester, these 3 groups evolved into (a) high desires and high self-belief (high-high), (b) high desires and low self-belief (high-low), and (c) low desires and low self-belief (low-low). At the beginning of the semester, about 80% of the participants were classified in the high-high group with the remaining 20% categorized into the other two groups; however, by the end of the semester, about 70% were in the high-high group, with 30% distributed across the other two groups. Using LTA and exploring the characteristics of the student groups, we found that in groups where female and second-year students were overrepresented, male and first-year students tended to be underrepresented and vice versa. For example, female and second-year students were overrepresented in groups more likely to leave the general chemistry course with lower desires and self-belief, while male and first-year students were overrepresented in groups more likely to leave general chemistry with higher desires and self-belief Using the LCA approach, we were able to explore groups (e.g., "high-low" and "low-low") that tend to get swallowed up by the noise of the majority (in this case, the "high-high" group). We hope the findings from this study encourage equity-based researchers to continue to think about how they approach quantitative data to give a voice to participant groups that may sometimes be hidden under the guise of not having enough statistical significance/power.

– The purpose of this paper is to explore whether male and female police officers report different levels of occupational stress and burnout. Also, the research seeks to examine whether various factors that are purported to influence occupational stress and burnout have differential effects on male and female officers., – Using a sample of police officers working in a large metropolitan department in the Northeast, the paper begins by using t‐tests to make gender comparisons between the average levels of occupational stress and burnout between male and female officers. Next, separate multivariate analyses were run for male and female officers to determine how a set of independent variables measuring the work‐environment, coping mechanisms, and other demographic characteristics affected the measures of occupational stress and burnout., – The findings indicate that male and female officers did not report significantly different levels of occupational stress and burnout. Results of the separate multivariate analyses reveal that, although there are similar predictors of stress and burnout for male and female officers, differences did exist in the models, lending support to the assertion that the female officers may experience unique stressors in the police organization. The multivariate results also indicate that African‐American female officers report significantly higher levels of burnout than other officers., – The current research adds to the knowledge about how levels and predictors of work‐related stress and burnout compare between male and female police officers. The current study is limited by its focus on only one police department located in the Northeast. This may limit the generalizability of the results., – The results of the study have implications for programs and policies that seek to prevent stress and burnout among police officers. The results of the current study indicate that a one‐program‐fits‐all approach may not be the best way for departments to help officers to deal with stress and burnout, since male and female officers may not experience or deal with these issues in a similar fashion.

Who is better for handling domestic violence? A comparison between Taiwanese female and male Officers

Dietary patterns of Australian children at three and five years of age and their changes over time: A latent class and latent transition analysis

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) heterogeneity among cancer survivors may mask subgroups (classes) with different limitations and long-term outcomes. The authors determined the HRQOL classes that exist among lung cancer survivors, examined transitions among those classes over time, and compared survival outcomes of patients according to the classes present in the initial phase of care. Lung cancer survivors in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium completed EuroQol 5-domain quality-of-life questionnaires 4.8 months (initial phase) and >1 year (survivorship phase) after diagnosis (n = 1396). Latent class analysis and latent transition analysis were used to determine HRQOL classes and transitions across time. Correlates of class membership were tested using multinomial logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to compare survival across class membership. Latent class analysis identified 4 classes at diagnosis and follow-up: 1) poor HRQOL, 2) pain-dominant impairment, 3) mobility/usual activities impairment, and 4) good HRQOL. Probabilities of remaining in the same class were .87, .85, .82, and .73 for classes 4, 1, 3, and 2, respectively. Younger age, lower income, lower education, comorbidities, and a history of depression/emotional problems were associated with a greater likelihood of being in classes 1, 2, or 3 at follow-up. Patients in classes 1 and 3 had significantly lower median survival estimates than patients in class 4 (4.8 years, 3.8 years, and 5.5 years, respectively; P < .001). Examining the heterogeneity of HRQOL in lung cancer populations allows the identification of classes with different limitations and long-term outcomes and, thus, guides tailored and patient-centered provision of supportive care.

This study examines the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and organizational commitment among police officers, focusing particularly on the differences in personality types between males and females and how these differences influence organizational commitment. Both male and female police officers exhibited high levels of conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, openness, and neuroticism, in that order. Neuroticism and openness showed significant differences between genders. The personality traits affecting organizational commitment differed between men and women. For male police officers, higher emotional stability(lower neuroticism) was associated with higher organizational commitment, whereas for female police officers, higher conscientiousness was linked to higher organizational commitment. Additionally, agreeableness had opposing effects on organizational commitment for male and female officers. Higher agreeableness was associated with higher organizational commitment among male officers, while it was associated with lower organizational commitment among female officers. Differences in personality should be recognized as important factors that promote organizational diversity and flexibility. Personality traits should not be classified as good or bad, nor should they be used as a basis for determining suitability for specific tasks. Police organizations should seek human resource management strategies that foster an inclusive organizational culture by recognizing and respecting diverse personality types, thereby enhancing commitment and participation among members.

This study compares the promotion aspirations of female and male police officers in a Midwestern police agency in the United States. Survey data revealed that female officers are less likely to pursue promotion compared with male officers. There were both similarities and differences found between the male and female officers in the factors that influenced each group's decision not to pursue promotion. This study is important because it reveals how the perceptions held by female and male police officers impact their decision not to pursue promotion. This is especially important for female police officers since there are currently so few women in administrative and supervisory roles.

This article explores a method for modeling associations among binary and ordered categorical variables. The method has the advantage that maximum-likelihood estimation can be used in multivariate models without numerical integration because the observed data log-likelihood has an explicit form. The association model is especially useful with mixture models to handle violations of the local independence assumption. Applications to latent class and latent transition analysis are presented.

This study examines Chinese police officers’ preferences for different formations of responders to domestic violence. Specifically, it assessed the connections between Chinese officers’ gender and gender-based attitudes and their perceptions of whether female officers, male officers, or mixed-gender officers are more suited for responding to battered women, offenders, and domestic violence overall. Survey data were collected from 1052 officers, including 278 females and 774 males from four provinces in China. Frequency distributions, cross-tabulations, and multivariate regression were used as data analysis methods. Chinese officers, in general, were more likely to believe that female officers are more suited to work with battered women, the male officer is more apt to handle offenders, and a combination of male and female officers are more adapted to deal with “domestic violence overall”. Female officers preferred male officers over themselves in investigating “domestic violence overall.” Officers who have more support for gender equality or more tolerance for domestic violence are more likely to believe that, compared to male officers, female officers are more suitable to work with batter women, and a combination of male and female officers is better to provide service to battered women and to respond to “domestic violence overall.” Policymakers and police administrators should strive to promote the value of a more gender-balanced police force and involve more female officers to work in responding to domestic violence.

Gender differences in policing have drawn some research attention over the past three decades. Very little, however, is known about the possible attitudinal distinctions between female and male police officers in non—English-speaking countries. This study seeks to make a contribution to this line of research by analyzing attitudinal differences between male and female officers in Slovakia. Using survey data collected from 250 police officers in several Slovak police regions, this research empirically assesses male and female officers’ attitudes toward police role, community policing, and work obstacles. The results indicate that Slovak female and male officers do not differ much in their attitudes toward police roles and community policing. Slovak female officers are more likely to report having limited promotion opportunity but less likely to express higher levels of work—family conflict than their male counterparts. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

This study uses independent latent class analysis (LCA) and latent transition analysis (LTA) to explore accurate diagnosis and disease status change of a big Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data of 2,132 individuals over a 3-year period. The data includes clinical and neural measures of controls (CN), individuals with subjective memory complains (SMC), early-onset mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), late-onset mild cognitive impairment (LMCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). LCA at each time point yielded 3 classes: Class 1 is mostly composed of individuals from CN, SMC, and EMCI groups; Class 2 represents individuals from LMCI and AD groups with improved scores on memory, clinical, and neural measures; in contrast, Class 3 represents LMCI and from AD individuals with deteriorated scores on memory, clinical, and neural measures. However, 63 individuals from Class 1 were diagnosed as AD patients. This could be misdiagnosis, as their conditional probability of belonging to Class 1 (0.65) was higher than that of Class 2 (0.27) and Class 3 (0.08). LTA results showed that individuals had a higher probability of staying in the same class over time with probability &amp;gt;0.90 for Class 1 and 3 and probability &amp;gt;0.85 for Class 2. Individuals from Class 2, however, transitioned to Class 1 from time 2 to time 3 with a probability of 0.10. Other transition probabilities were not significant. Lastly, further analysis showed that individuals in Class 2 who moved to Class 1 have different memory, clinical, and neural measures to other individuals in the same class. We acknowledge that the proposed framework is sophisticated and time-consuming. However, given the severe neurodegenerative nature of AD, we argue that clinicians should prioritize an accurate diagnosis. Our findings show that LCA can provide a more accurate prediction for classifying and identifying the progression of AD compared to traditional clinical cut-off measures on neuropsychological assessments.