Individual Growth Curve Analysis Research Articles

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Studied the Long Way: Predicting Change in Narcissistic Pathology During College.

Otto F. Kernberg pioneered the description, understanding, and treatment of pathological narcissism. Narcissism has emerged as a clinical construct of considerable interest in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis and has often been featured in the literature on personality and social psychology. Considerable discussion in recent years has focused on whether levels of narcissism seen among young adults have been increasing. Nearly all of that discussion has been focused on changes in successive cohorts in normative (normal-range) expressions of narcissism. No direct prospective longitudinal study of the same individuals has assessed for pathological narcissism during college, the period that has been the specific focus of such lively debate. This study aimed to fill that gap in the literature. This multiwave, longitudinal study explored pathological narcissism during college by enrolling first-year undergraduate students (N=250) from the Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders and by using individual growth curve (IGC) analysis. Participants were assigned to either a possible personality disorder or no personality disorder group, according to results from the International Personality Disorder Examination. By the third wave of assessments, 16% of the sample received a probable or definite diagnosis of at least one axis II personality disorder. IGC analysis revealed that pathological narcissism declined across the first 4 years of college. Personality predictors of this pattern of change are also discussed. This study highlights the need for a fine-grained prospective study of the same participants over time to illuminate patterns of change in narcissism.

Parenting factors and meaning of life among Chinese adolescents: A six-wave longitudinal study

Using six-wave data, the present study examined the influence of parent-child subsystem relational qualities (indexed by parental behavioral control, psychological control, and parent-child relationship) on the initial status and growth trajectory of meaning of life (MOL) in Chinese adolescents. A total of 2023 high school students in Hong Kong (M age=12.53±0.66 years, 48.0% male students) responded to a questionnaire measuring their perceived parent-child subsystem relational qualities and meaning of life for six consecutive years from 2009/2010. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses and multiple regression analyses were used. Results of IGC analyses showed that parental behavioral control and parent-child relationship quality at Wave 1 positively predicted the initial level of adolescent MOL but negatively influenced the growth trajectory of MOL. Parental psychological control at the initial level negatively predicted the initial status of MOL but not the developmental trajectory of adolescent MOL. However, compared with adolescents experiencing poorer parent-child relational subsystem qualities, adolescents with better parent-child relational subsystem qualities showed significantly higher MOL at each time point. Multiple regression analyses also showed that while parent-child relationship quality and paternal behavioral control concurrently and longitudinally exhibited positive predictions on adolescent MOL, the impact of parental psychological control on adolescent MOL showed different patterns in early and late adolescence. The pioneering findings underline the important role of different parent-child subsystem relational qualities in influencing adolescent MOL.

Adapting a professional development program for cognitively demanding instruction across shifting contexts

This study explored what was entailed in implementing a professional development (PD) designed in the United States (US) to a different, Israeli, context. To achieve this goal, the first step was empirically examining the effectiveness of such a PD using quantitative methods. We then examined which adaptations were made in the imported PD and at what level. Our study is based on data obtained from the Israeli TEAMS (Teaching Exploratively for All Mathematics Students) PD, which “imported” a US-based program based on “The Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Discussions” and “Accountable Talk.” We build on studies of cultural adaptations of interventions which provide a framework whereby adaptations to a model can be made along three levels: philosophical, propositional, and procedural. To assess the effectiveness of the PD, we analyzed 211 recorded lessons. Individual growth curve analysis indicated significant growth in five parameters: intellectual authority, classroom discourse, exposure of student thinking, task enactment, and consolidation. These findings show that the PD was effective in importing several core practices which were relatively well defined. We use these quantitative findings, coupled with additional data obtained from the planning and execution of the PD, as a case to study the process of adapting an educational intervention to a new context. This analysis shows that our adaptations were mostly done at the procedural level. However, the quantitative results point to the possible necessity of also changing the propositional model of what intervention can work in a new context.

Longitudinal association of a body mass index (BMI) genetic risk score with growth and BMI changes across the life course: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

The role of genetic risk scores associated with adult body mass index (BMI) on BMI levels across the life course is unclear. We examined if a 97 single nucleotide polymorphism weighted genetic risk score (wGRS97) associated with age-related progression in BMI at different life stages and distinct developmental trajectories of BMI across the early life course. 2188 Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study participants born pre-1980 who had genotype data and objective measurements of height and weight collected up to 8 times from age 6 to 49 years. Associations were examined using Individual Growth Curve analysis, Latent Class Growth Mixture Modelling, and Poisson modified regression. The wGRS97 associated with BMI from age 6 years with peak effect sizes observed at age 30 years (females: 1.14 kg/m2; males: 1.09 kg/m2 higher BMI per standard deviation increase in wGRS97). The association between wGRS97 and BMI became stronger with age in childhood but slowed in adolescence, especially in females, and weakened at age 35-40 years. A higher wGRS97 associated with an increased BMI velocity in childhood and adulthood, but not with BMI change in adulthood. Compared with belonging to a 'normal stable' life-course trajectory group (normal BMI from childhood to adulthood), a one standard deviation higher wGRS97 associated with a 13-127% increased risk of belonging to a less favourable life-course BMI trajectory group. Individuals with genetic susceptibility to higher adult BMI have higher levels and accelerated rates of increase in BMI in childhood/adolescence, and are at increased risk of having a less favourable life-course BMI trajectory.

Perceived Parenting and Parent-Child Relational Qualities in Fathers and Mothers: Longitudinal Findings Based on Hong Kong Adolescents.

To understand how family environment and functioning change over time during adolescence, this study examined the developmental trajectories of perceived parent-child subsystem qualities indexed by parental control and parent-child relational qualities, and the related perceived differences between fathers and mothers. Longitudinal data were collected from 2023 students in 28 high schools in Hong Kong. Among the 28 schools, five schools were in Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon district, and 16 in New Territories. Students were invited to respond to measures of perceived parent-child subsystem qualities in six consecutive high school years from the 2009/10 academic year. Individual Growth Curve analyses and paired t-tests were used to explore the developmental trajectories of research variables and the differences between fathers and mothers. While parental behavioral control and psychological control generally declined throughout the high school years, parent-child relational quality showed a U-shaped trajectory. Parent gender significantly predicted the initial levels of all measures and changes in behavioral control and parent-child relational quality. Mothers showed higher levels of parental control and parent-child relational quality than did fathers at each time point. However, mothers showed a faster decrease in these measures than did fathers.

Return to Productivity Projections for Individuals With Moderate to Severe TBI Following Inpatient Rehabilitation: A NIDILRR TBIMS and CDC Interagency Collaboration.

Return to work and school following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an outcome of central importance both to TBI survivors and to society. The current study estimates the probability of returning to productivity over 5 years following moderate to severe brain injury. A secondary longitudinal analysis using random effects modeling, that is, individual growth curve analysis based on a sample of 2542 population-weighted individuals from a multicenter cohort study. Acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Individuals 16 years and older with a primary diagnosis of TBI who were engaged in school or work at the time of injury. Participation in productive activity, defined as employment or school, as reported during follow-up telephone interviews at 1, 2, and 5 years postinjury. Baseline variables, age of injury, race, level of education and occupational category at the time of injury, disability rating at hospital discharge, substance abuse status, and rehabilitation length of stay, are significantly associated with probability of return to productivity. Individual-level productivity trajectories generally indicate that the probability of returning to productivity increases over time. Results of this study highlight the importance of preinjury occupational status and level of education in returning to productive activity following moderate to severe TBI.

Communicative Support and Parental Knowledge among African American Residential Fathers: Longitudinal Associations with Adolescent Substance Use

The current examines how African American residential fathers’ communicative support and parental knowledge influence adolescents’ substance use across a 3-year period. Additionally, this study examines whether these associations vary for African American boys and girls. Participants were 665 African American adolescents (M = 13.1 years of age; 49% female) from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1997. All adolescents resided with their fathers or father figures. Individual and parallel process growth curve analyses examined how communicative support and parental knowledge were associated with initial levels and rate of change in African American adolescents’ substance use. Although African American girls exhibited higher initial levels of substance use, there was greater growth in boys’ substance use over time. Analyses indicated that residential fathers’ parental knowledge was associated with substance use over time for both girls and boys. Findings also revealed that demographic factors more strongly predicted father–daughter relational characteristics. Our study highlights how African American residential fathers’ parenting practices influence adolescent substance use. Further, this investigation suggests that gender and demographic variation in relation to African American girls’ and boys’ substance use is highly nuanced. Implications for prevention are discussed.

Longitudinal Effects of Medical Comorbidities on Functional Outcome and Life Satisfaction After Traumatic Brain Injury: An Individual Growth Curve Analysis of NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Data.

To explore associations of specific physical and neuropsychiatric medical conditions to motor and cognitive functioning and life satisfaction over the first 10 years following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Telephone follow-up through 6 TBI Model System centers. In total, 404 individuals or proxies with TBI enrolled in the TBI Model System longitudinal study participating in 10-year follow-up. Individual growth curve analysis. FIM Motor and Cognitive subscales, Satisfaction With Life Scales, and Medical and Mental Health Comorbidities Interview. Hypertension, diabetes, cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and anxiety negatively affected the trajectory of motor functioning over time. Diabetes, cancers, chronic bronchitis, anxiety, and depression negatively impacted cognitive functioning. Numerous neuropsychiatric conditions (sleep disorder, alcoholism, drug addiction, anxiety, panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder), as well as hypertension, liver disease, and cancers, diminished life satisfaction. Other medical conditions had a negative effect on functioning and satisfaction at specific follow-up periods. Natural recovery after TBI may include delayed onset of functional decline or early recovery, followed by progressive deterioration, and is negatively affected by medical comorbidities. Results contribute to the growing evidence that TBI is most appropriately treated as a chronic medical condition complicated by a variety of comorbid conditions.

The Influence of Parental Control and Parent-Child Relational Qualities on Adolescent Internet Addiction: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong.

This study investigated how parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, and parent-child relational qualities predicted the initial level and rate of change in adolescent internet addiction (IA) across the junior high school years. The study also investigated the concurrent and longitudinal effects of different parenting factors on adolescent IA. Starting from the 2009/2010 academic year, 3,328 Grade 7 students (Mage = 12.59 ± 0.74 years) from 28 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong responded on a yearly basis to a questionnaire measuring multiple constructs including socio-demographic characteristics, perceived parenting characteristics, and IA. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses showed that adolescent IA slightly decreased during junior high school years. While behavioral control of both parents was negatively related to the initial level of adolescent IA, only paternal behavioral control showed a significant positive relationship with the rate of linear change in IA, suggesting that higher paternal behavioral control predicted a slower decrease in IA. In addition, fathers' and mothers' psychological control was positively associated with the initial level of adolescent IA, but increase in maternal psychological control predicted a faster drop in IA. Finally, parent-child relational qualities negatively and positively predicted the initial level and the rate of change in IA, respectively. When all parenting factors were considered simultaneously, multiple regression analyses revealed that paternal behavioral control and psychological control as well as maternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality were significant concurrent predictors of adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. Regarding the longitudinal predicting effects, paternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality at Wave 1 were the two most robust predictors of later adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. The above findings underscore the importance of the parent-child subsystem qualities in influencing adolescent IA in the junior high school years. In particular, these findings shed light on the different impacts of fathering and mothering which are neglected in the scientific literature. While the findings based on the levels of IA are consistent with the existing theoretical models, findings on the rate of change are novel.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) paired with a decision-making task reduces risk-taking in a clinically impulsive sample

BackgroundImpulsivity is a multidimensional personality trait observed across a variety of psychiatric disorders. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has shown promise as an intervention to reduce impulsivity. ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of tDCS paired with a decision-making task on risk-taking in Veterans with a clinical history of impulsive behavior. MethodsThis was a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled study. Participants performed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) while concurrently receiving either active or sham tDCS (right anodal/left cathodal over DLPFC) twice a day for five days. To evaluate generalization, the Risk Task was performed before and after the complete course of intervention. To evaluate durability, the BART and Risk Task were administered again at one and two month follow-up sessions. ResultsThirty Veterans participated: 15 received active tDCS and 15 received sham tDCS. For the trained BART task, individual growth curve analysis (IGC) examining individual variation of the growth rates over time showed no significant variations in individual trajectory changes over time (β = 0.02, p > 0.05). For the untrained Risk Task, IGC showed that the active tDCS group had a significant 46% decrease in risky choice from pre-to post-intervention, which persisted through the one and two month follow-up sessions. The sham tDCS group showed no significant change in risky choice from pre-to post-intervention. ConclusionstDCS over DLPFC paired with a decision-making task effectively reduced risk-taking behavior in a group of Veterans with clinically-relevant impulsivity. Results suggest that this approach may be an effective neuroplasticity-based intervention for patients affected by impulsivity.

Modeling the co-development of correlated processes with longitudinal and cross-construct effects.

Conceptualizations of developmental trends are driven by the particular method used to analyze the period of change of interest. Various techniques exist to analyze developmental data, including individual growth curve analysis in observed and latent frameworks, cross-lagged regression to assess interrelations among variables, and multilevel frameworks that consider time as nested within individual. In this paper, we report on findings from a latent change score analysis of oral reading fluency and reading comprehension data from a longitudinal sample of approximately 16,000 students from first to fourth grade. Results highlight the utility of latent change score models compared to alternative specifications of linear and nonlinear quadratic latent growth models as well as implications for modeling change with correlated traits. (PsycINFO Database Record

The effect of parental monitoring on trajectories of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescents: An individual growth curve analysis

The primary aim of the present study was to examine whether parental monitoring, as reported by adolescents and their parents, predicts more or less favorable trajectories of disordered eating behavior and attitudes over the course of one year in a sample of adolescent males and females. An additional aim was to explore whether these trajectories vary when study analyses are limited to females. Participants included 87 adolescents (mean age = 15.5 ± 1.4) in mental health treatment and their parents. Self-report measures included the Parental Monitoring Questionnaire, completed at baseline, and the Eating Attitudes Test-Dieting Subscale, completed at baseline as well as 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses were used to examine change in disordered eating behavior and attitudes. Adolescents who reported lower parental monitoring showed trajectories characterized by increases in disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. The same pattern emerged when using parent report of monitoring, though only a trend was evident. When analyses were restricted to females, the main effect of parental and adolescent report of monitoring on disordered eating were equally strong. Results may suggest that parents who are less knowledgeable about their adolescents’ daily lives, may be less aware of potential disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, and thus less likely to intervene. Findings could be used to inform family-based interventions for this population.

Global Outcome Trajectories After TBI Among Survivors and Nonsurvivors: A National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.

To compare long-term functional outcome trajectories of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who survive with those who expire more than 5 years postinjury, using individual growth curve analysis. Secondary analysis of data from a multicenter longitudinal cohort study. Acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities that are current or former TBI Model Systems. Individuals 16 years and older with a primary diagnosis of TBI. Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended; Disability Rating Scale. Individuals in the TBI Model Systems who expire several years after injury demonstrate worse functional status at baseline and a steeper rate of decline over time as measured by both the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended and the Disability Rating Scale. There was significant variability in each growth parameter (P < .05) for both instruments. A reduced model was built for each outcome, including all covariates that related significantly to the growth parameters. An interactive tool was created for each outcome to generate individual-level trajectories based on various combinations of covariate values. Individuals with TBI who die several years after injury demonstrate functional trajectories that differ markedly from those of survivors. Opportunities should be sought for health management interventions to improve health and longevity after TBI.

Early mother–child attachment and behavior problems in middle childhood: the role of the subsequent caregiving environment

The current study investigated associations between early mother–child attachment, as well as mother–child and teacher–child relationships, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in middle childhood. Data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were used. Findings from a series of individual growth curve analyses revealed that attachment security was negatively related to internalizing and externalizing behaviors, while insecure/other and avoidant attachment were positively related to internalizing behaviors. In addition, longitudinal associations were found between mother–child and teacher–child relationships and internalizing and externalizing behaviors across middle childhood. Implications for attachment theory are discussed.

Using rasch motor FIM individual growth curves to inform clinical decisions for persons with paraplegia

A longitudinal retrospective study. To better understand individual-level temporal change in functional status for participants with paraplegia in the National Spinal Cord Injury Database (NSCID), as measured by Rasch Transformed Motor Functional Indepedence Measure (FIM) scores. Multicenter/Multistate longitudinal study across the United States. Non-linear random effects modeling, that is, individual growth curve analysis of retrospective data obtained from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) NSCID. We generated non-linear individual level trajectories of recovery for Rasch Transformed Motor FIM scores that rise rapidly from inpatient rehabilitation admission to a plateau. Trajectories are based on relationships between growth parameters and patient and injury factors: race, gender, level of education at admission, age at injury, neurological level at discharge, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) at discharge, days from injury to first system inpatient rehabilitation admission, rehabilitation length of stay, marital status and etiology. On the basis of study results, an interactive tool was developed to represent individual level longitudinal outcomes as trajectories based upon an individual's given baseline characteristics, that is, information supplied by the covariates and provides a robust description of temporal change for those with paraplegia within the NSCID. This methodology allows researchers and clinicians to generate and better understand patient-specific trajectories through the use of an automated interactive tool where a nearly countless number of longitudinal paths of recovery can be explored. Projected trajectories holds promise in facilitating planning for inpatient and outpatient services, which could positively impact long term outcomes.

Let the games begin: A preliminary study using Attention Process Training-3 and Lumosity™ brain games to remediate attention deficits following traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: Computer-based treatments for attention problems have become increasingly popular and available. The researchers sought to determine whether improved performance by survivors of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) on two computer-based treatments generalized to improvements on comparable, untrained tasks and ecologically-plausible attention tasks comprising a standardized assessment.Research design: The researchers used an -A-B-A-C-A treatment design repeated across four adult survivors of severe TBI.Methods and procedures: Participants engaged in 8 weeks of intervention using both Attention Process Training-3 (APT-3) and Lumosity™ (2010) Brain Games. Two participants received APT-3 treatment first, while the other two received Lumosity™ treatment first. All participants received both treatments throughout the course of two, 1-month intervention phases.Main outcomes and results: Individual growth curve analyses showed participants made significant improvements in progressing through both interventions. However, limited generalization occurred: one participant demonstrated significantly improved performance on one of five probe measures and one other participant showed improved performance on some sub-tests of the Test of Everyday Attention; no other significant generalization results emerged. These findings call into question the assumption that intervention using either APT-3 or Lumosity™ will prompt generalization beyond the actual tasks performed during treatment.

Evaluating Three Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Multiwave Study

Objective The authors examined three yearlong outpatient treatments for borderline personality disorder: dialectical behavior therapy, transference-focused psychotherapy, and a dynamic supportive treatment. Method Ninety patients who were diagnosed with borderline personality disorder were randomly assigned to transference-focused psychotherapy, dialectical behavior therapy, or supportive treatment and received medication when indicated. Prior to treatment and at 4-month intervals during a 1-year period, blind raters assessed the domains of suicidal behavior, aggression, impulsivity, anxiety, depression, and social adjustment in a multiwave study design. Results Individual growth curve analysis revealed that patients in all three treatment groups showed significant positive change in depression, anxiety, global functioning, and social adjustment across 1 year of treatment. Both transference-focused psychotherapy and dialectical behavior therapy were significantly associated with improvement in suicidality. Only transference-focused psychotherapy and supportive treatment were associated with improvement in anger. Transference-focused psychotherapy and supportive treatment were each associated with improvement in facets of impulsivity. Only transference-focused psychotherapy was significantly predictive of change in irritability and verbal and direct assault. Conclusions Patients with borderline personality disorder respond to structured treatments in an outpatient setting with change in multiple domains of outcome. A structured dynamic treatment, transference-focused psychotherapy was associated with change in multiple constructs across six domains; dialectical behavior therapy and supportive treatment were associated with fewer changes. Future research is needed to examine the specific mechanisms of change in these treatments beyond common structures. (Reprinted with permission from The American Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 164:922–928)

Examining the Predictive Validity of a Dynamic Assessment of Decoding to Forecast Response to Tier 2 Intervention

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of a dynamic assessment (DA) of decoding in predicting responsiveness to Tier 2 small-group tutoring in a response-to-intervention model. First grade students (n = 134) who did not show adequate progress in Tier 1 based on 6 weeks of progress monitoring received Tier 2 small-group tutoring in reading for 14 weeks. Student responsiveness to Tier 2 was assessed weekly with word identification fluency (WIF). A series of conditional individual growth curve analyses were completed that modeled the correlates of WIF growth (final level of performance and growth). Its purpose was to examine the predictive validity of DA in the presence of three sets of variables: static decoding measures, Tier 1 responsiveness indicators, and prereading variables (phonemic awareness, rapid letter naming, oral vocabulary, and IQ). DA was a significant predictor of final level and growth, uniquely explaining 3% to 13% of the variance in Tier 2 responsiveness depending on the competing predictors in the model and WIF outcome (final level of performance or growth). Although the additional variances explained uniquely by DA were relatively small, results indicate the potential of DA in identifying Tier 2 nonresponders.

An Introduction to Applying Individual Growth Curve Models to Evaluate Change in Rehabilitation: A National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Report

The abundance of time-dependent information contained in the Spinal Cord Injury and the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Databases, and the increased prevalence of repeated-measures designs in clinical trials highlight the need for more powerful longitudinal analytic methodologies in rehabilitation research. This article describes the particularly versatile analytic technique of individual growth curve (IGC) analysis. A defining characteristic of IGC analysis is that change in outcome such as functional recovery can be described at both the patient and group levels, such that it is possible to contrast 1 patient with other patients, subgroups of patients, or a group as a whole. Other appealing characteristics of IGC analysis include its flexibility in describing how outcomes progress over time (whether in linear, curvilinear, cyclical, or other fashion), its ability to accommodate covariates at multiple levels of analyses to better describe change, and its ability to accommodate cases with partially missing outcome data. These features make IGC analysis an ideal tool for investigating longitudinal outcome data and to better equip researchers and clinicians to explore a multitude of hypotheses. The goal of this special communication is to familiarize the rehabilitation community with IGC analysis and encourage the use of this sophisticated research tool to better understand temporal change in outcomes.

Descriptive Modeling of Longitudinal Outcome Measures in Traumatic Brain Injury: A National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study

Establishing accurate mathematical models of outcome measures is essential in understanding change throughout the rehabilitation process. The goal of this study is to identify the best-fitting descriptive models for a set of commonly adopted outcome measures found within the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database where the modeling is based on data submission through 2011 and the complete range of recorded time points since injury for each individual, where time points range from admission to rehabilitation to 20 years postinjury. The statistical methodology and the application of the methodology contained herein may be used to assist researchers and clinicians in (1) modeling the outcome measures considered, (2) modeling various portions of these outcomes by stratification and/or truncating time periods, (3) modeling longitudinal outcome measures not considered, and (4) establishing models as a necessary precursor in conducting individual growth curve analysis.