Latent Growth Curve Modeling Approach Research Articles

Effects of a brief self-compassion intervention for college students with impostor phenomenon.

The present study used a latent growth curve modeling approach to (a) examine the effectiveness of a brief self-compassion intervention on reducing impostor phenomenon, maladaptive perfectionism, and psychological distress and (b) explore who would benefit more from this intervention. A total of 227 college students at a large Midwest university were randomly assigned to participate in either a 4-week brief self-compassion intervention group or a nonintervention control group. Analyses of the effectiveness of the intervention suggested the brief self-compassion intervention had significant treatment effects for reducing impostor phenomenon and maladaptive perfectionism. Moreover, this study also examined whether participants with different levels of fear of self-compassion and core self-evaluation would report different levels of treatment effectiveness. Fear of self-compassion was found to be a significant moderator of the intervention effects in reducing maladaptive perfectionism and psychological distress. Specifically, participants in the intervention group with higher levels of fear of self-compassion reported a greater decline in both maladaptive perfectionism and psychological distress over time when compared to those with lower levels of fear of self-compassion. Core self-evaluation significantly moderated the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing participants' levels of impostor phenomenon and maladaptive perfectionism. Specifically, participants in the intervention group with lower core self-evaluation reported a greater reduction in maladaptive perfectionism over time when compared to those with higher core self-evaluation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Subjective cognitive decline predicts lower cingulo-opercular network functional connectivity in individuals with lower neurite density in the forceps minor

Cognitive complaints of attention/concentration problems are highly frequent in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network (CON-FC) supports cognitive control, tonic alertness, and visual processing speed. Thus, those complaints in SCD may reflect a decrease in CON-FC. Frontal white-matter tracts such as the forceps minor exhibit age- and SCD-related alterations and, therefore, might influence the CON-FC decrease in SCD. Here, we aimed to determine whether SCD predicts an impairment in CON-FC and whether neurite density in the forceps minor modulates that effect. To do so, we integrated cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of multimodal data in a latent growth curve modeling approach. Sixty-nine healthy older adults (13 males; 68.33 ± 7.95 years old) underwent resting-state functional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and the degree of SCD was assessed at baseline with the memory functioning questionnaire (greater score indicating more SCD). Forty-nine of the participants were further enrolled in two follow-ups, each about 18 months apart. Baseline SCD did not predict CON-FC after three years or its rate of change (p-values > 0.092). Notably, however, the forceps minor neurite density did modulate the relation between SCD and CON-FC (intercept; b = 0.21, 95% confidence interval, CI, [0.03, 0.39], p = 0.021), so that SCD predicted a greater CON-FC decrease in older adults with relatively lower neurite density in the forceps minor. The neurite density of the forceps minor, in turn, negatively correlated with age. These results suggest that CON-FC alterations in SCD are dependent upon the forceps minor neurite density. Accordingly, these results imply modifiable age-related factors that could help delay or mitigate both age and SCD-related effects on brain connectivity.

Narcissists going above and beyond? The role of perceived negative inequity and self-enhancement motivation

PurposeUtilizing a self-regulatory perspective, the authors examine how narcissism influences perceived negative inequity and the downstream effects on self-enhancement motivation and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) over time.Design/methodology/approachA total of 689 useable three-wave panel data were obtained via Amazon Mechanical Turk during a three-month period. A latent growth curve modeling approach using EQS 6.4 for Windows was employed to test the hypothesized model.FindingsResults illustrate that individuals with higher levels of narcissism perceive higher levels of perceived negative inequity and then form higher levels of self-enhancement motivation, which prompt more OCB directed toward the organization (OCBO) than OCB directed toward individuals (OCBI). When perceived negative inequity increases over time, narcissists experience a faster increase in self-enhancement motivation, which also leads to a faster increase in OCBO compared to the increase in OCBI.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study provides theoretical and empirical insights into understanding the process through which narcissists' OCBs are motivated. Practically, this study offers several practical recommendations that help managers manage OCBs effectively in the organization.

Longitudinal changes in Chinese minority college students’ health-related fitness: A multilevel latent growth curve modeling approach

Purpose: The study aimed to test the overall changes of health-related fitness (HRF) in minority Chinese college students and to examine HRF differences in gender, race, and year in college. Method: Participants (n = 1320) were minority college students with more than two-thirds females (ie 76.1%), and Hui, Tibetan, and Mongolia consisted of 13.8%, 13.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. Student HRF was tracked for four years. Data were analyzed using multilevel latent growth curve modeling. Results: Muscular strength and endurance were the weakest component in minority college students’ HRF, while body mass index was within the category of “excellent”. Males outperformed female on all components of HRF. Conclusions: It is suggested that interventions concerning minority females’ HRF and muscular strength and endurance for both genders be constructed and tested.

Neuroticism and cyberbullying among elementary school students: A latent growth curve modeling approach

The significant relation between neuroticism and cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) has attracted increasing research attention; however, the development and possible psychological mechanisms linking neuroticism and cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) among elementary school students require further explication. This study examined the trajectories of neuroticism and cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) and how the changes in neuroticism were related to the changes in cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) using latent growth curve modeling. A sample of 4327 Chinese elementary school students (55.4% boys; age: M = 9.94 years, SD = 0.73) completed measurements of the relevant constructs on five occasions across two years, using half-year intervals. The findings revealed that neuroticism, cyberbullying perpetration, and cyberbullying victimization all decreased over time. Additionally, cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) at baseline positively correlated with neuroticism at baseline. Furthermore, cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) decreased in parallel with decreases in neuroticism. These findings add to the literature on neuroticism and cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) among elementary school students by demonstrating their parallel change relations. Implications for reducing the risk of cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization) among elementary school students were discussed.

Collective orientation and its implications for coordination and team performance in interdependent work contexts

Purpose This paper aims to explore the influence of collective orientation (CO) on coordination and team performance for interdependently working teams while controlling for person-related and team variables. Design/methodology/approach A total of 58 two-person-teams participated in a simulation-based firefighting task. The laboratory study took 2 h for each team. The effects of CO in tasks of increasing complexity were investigated under the consideration of control variables, and the relations between CO, coordination and team performance were assessed using a multivariate latent growth curve modeling approach and by estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Findings Team members high on CO performed significantly better than low-scoring members. The effect of CO on team performance was independent from an increasing task complexity, whereas the effect of CO on coordination was not. The effect of CO on team performance was mediated by coordination within the team, and the positive relation between CO and performance persists when including group efficacy into the model. Research limitations/implications As CO is a modifiable person-related variable and important for effective team processes, additional research on factors influencing this attitude during work is assumed to be valuable. Practical implications CO is especially important for highly interdependently working teams in high-risk-organizations such as the fire service or nuclear power plants, where errors lead to severe consequences for human beings or the environment. Originality/value No other studies showed the importance of CO for coordination and team performance while considering teamwork-relevant variables and the interdependence of work.

Longitudinal association between body mass index and physical activity among adolescents with different parental risk: a parallel latent growth curve modeling approach

BackgroundData available on the association between physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in different periods of life is controversial. Using a parallel latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) approach, the current study aimed to investigate the influence of daily PA on adolescents’ BMI over a 12 year follow-up, taking into account their parental risk.MethodParticipants comprised 1323 adolescents (53.5% girls), aged 12–18 years who had participated in the baseline phase of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) (2001–2003), and were followed for an average period of 12 years. Physical activity, including leisure time and occupational activities, was assessed using the reliable and validated Iranian version of the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ). Weight and height were objectively measured in order to calculateBMI.Atwo-step cluster analysis was conducted to classify parents into two high- and low-risk clusters. Parallel LGCM was fitted to estimate cross-sectional, prospective and parallel associations, which assessed the longitudinal association between simultaneous changes in PA and BMI during the study period. Analyses were stratified by gender and parental clusters.ResultsA rising trend of BMI per 3 years was observed in boys 1.39 kg.m2(95% CI; 1.32, 1.48) and girls 0.9 kg.m2(95% CI; 0.82, 0.98), as well as in the low risk 1.11 kg.m2(95% CI; 1.03, 1.18) and high-risk 1.12 kg.m2(95% CI; 1.03, 1.22) clusters. Moreover, a positive prospective association between PA at baseline and BMI change over the 12 year follow-up, was observed in adolescents in the low-risk parental cluster 0.27(95% CI; 0.14, 0.41) indicating that higher levels of PA at baseline may lead to greater BMI in adolescents over time. However, examining longitudinal parallel association between simultaneous changes of PA and BMI per 3 years revealed adverse associations for adolescents in the low-risk parental cluster − 0.07 (95% CI; − 0.13, − 0.01) and in boys − 0.06 (95% CI; − 0.11, − 0.01).ConclusionDespite a positive prospective association between BMI and PA at baseline, there was a weak inverse parallel association between these variables over time, particularly in boys and adolescents with low parental risk. These findings imply the potential role of other influential factors indetermining adolescents’ weight status which need to be considered in the future plannings.

INCREMENTAL VALIDITY OF OPTIMISM AND PURPOSE FOR PREDICTING OLDER ADULTS’ DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

After age 60, depressive symptoms tend to increase slowly over time on average across the population. However, individual trajectories vary, with some increasing more steeply, and others remaining stable. A broad array of psychological constructs have been demonstrated to predict depressive symptoms, including neuroticism, extraversion, optimism, and sense of purpose in life. It is important for psychologists to understand which among these factors are the strongest and most robust predictors. A substantial body of research demonstrates that Big Five personality traits are strongly associated with depressive symptoms (e.g., Hakulinen et al., 2015). Optimism and purpose are also associated with well-being (Carver et al., 2009; Pinquart, 2002), but it is not clear whether such associations could be accounted for by Big Five traits, which are also correlated with optimism and purpose. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 14,021), we tested the incremental validity of optimism and purpose for predicting older adults’ depressive symptoms, controlling for Big Five traits and demographics. A latent growth curve modeling approach allowed us to examine associations with trajectories of depressive symptoms over six waves (approximately 10 years). Results demonstrated that both optimism and purpose are significantly associated with baseline levels of depressive symptoms, over and above the Big Five. However, only Big Five traits were associated with linear and quadratic slope in depressive symptom trajectories. These findings suggest that optimism and purpose are not redundant with Big Five traits for predicting depressive symptoms, and may be valuable targets for intervention efforts.

Adolescents’ online social network use and life satisfaction: A latent growth curve modeling approach

The global popularity of online social networks (OSN) prompted concerns about adverse effects on adolescents' psychological well-being. To further the understanding of the relation between adolescents' use of OSN and life satisfaction, we used data from 701 female and 456 male Croatian high-school students collected over a period of 23 months. Multivariate conditional and unconditional dual-domain latent growth curve modeling was used to explore the following research questions: How are changes in OSN use and life satisfaction interrelated; is the association gender-specific; and whether parental engagement plays a role in the relation? The only significant association between the use of OSN and life satisfaction was observed at baseline and only in female adolescents, with higher OSN use corresponding to lower life satisfaction. Among male adolescents, the target relation at baseline depended on parental engagement. Higher OSN use was related to higher life satisfaction in male participants who reported lower parental engagement, but not their peers characterized by higher parental engagement. The gender differences likely reflect gendered motivation for and vulnerability to OSN use. Insights from this longitudinal study contribute to the body of research on psychosocial outcomes associated with adolescents’ use of OSN and can inform educational and media experts.

Exploring general high school characteristics and education policy variables that affect student’s academic achievement changes in mathematics: A latent growth curve modeling approach

Exploring general high school characteristics and education policy variables that affect student’s academic achievement changes in mathematics: A latent growth curve modeling approach

Varieties of Religious and Pornographic Experience: Latent Growth in Adolescents’ Religiosity and Pornography Use

ABSTRACTThe relationship between adolescent religiosity and pornography use has been longitudinally tested only in the United States. Given the social relevance of hypothesized mechanisms underlying the association, this study offers a three-wave longitudinal assessment of parallel latent growth in the two constructs carried out in a Southern European country. Using responses of 1,041 Croatian adolescents from the capital city (Mage = 16.14 years, SD = .45; 64.6% of female students) and latent growth curve modeling approach, we explored links between individual trajectories of change in religiosity and pornography use over a period of 24 months. In the observed period, religiosity decreased and pornography use increased among both male and female adolescents, but their dynamics were independent of each other—pointing to other (unmeasured) processes responsible for both adolescents’ sexualization and secularization. Important to note, the findings also pointed to an important role of age at first exposure to pornography for its frequency of use in middle to late adolescence.

Longitudinal associations between body mass index, physical activity, and healthy dietary behaviors in adults: A parallel latent growth curve modeling approach.

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) and healthy dietary behaviors (HDB) are two well-documented lifestyle factors influencing body mass index (BMI). This study examined 7-year longitudinal associations between changes in PA, HDB, and BMI among adults using a parallel latent growth curve modeling (LGCM).MethodsWe used prospective cohort data collected by a private company (SimplyWell LLC, Omaha, NE, USA) implementing a workplace health screening program. Data from a total of 2,579 adults who provided valid BMI, PA, and HDB information for at least 5 out of 7 follow-up years from the time they entered the program were analyzed. PA and HDB were subjectively measured during an annual online health survey. Height and weight measured during an annual onsite health screening were used to calculate BMI (kg·m2). The parallel LGCMs stratified by gender and baseline weight status (normal: BMI<25, overweight BMI 25–29.9, and obese: BMI>30) were fitted to examine the longitudinal associations of changes in PA and HDB with change in BMI over years.ResultsOn average, BMI gradually increased over years, at rates ranging from 0.06 to 0.20 kg·m2·year, with larger increases observed among those of normal baseline weight status across genders. The increases in PA and HDB were independently associated with a smaller increase in BMI for obese males (b = -1.70 and -1.98, respectively), and overweight females (b = -1.85 and -2.46, respectively) and obese females (b = -2.78 and -3.08, respectively). However, no significant associations of baseline PA and HDB with changes in BMI were observed.ConclusionsOur study suggests that gradual increases in PA and HDB are independently associated with smaller increases in BMI in overweight and obese adults, but not in normal weight individuals. Further study is warranted to address factors that check increases in BMI in normal weight adults.

A longitudinal comparison of customer satisfaction and customer-company identification in a service context

Purpose Customer satisfaction (CS) and customer-company identification (CCI) are two important relational constructs and play a complementary role in the service-profit chain. Drawing from the theory of relationship dynamics, the purpose of this paper is to define CS velocity and CCI velocity as the rate and direction of change in CS and CCI, respectively. A comparison of the relative effects of CCI velocity and CS velocity on customer loyalty is done through a latent growth curve modeling approach. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed and empirically tested based on four waves of a longitudinal survey of 213 restaurant customers. Findings The results show that both CCI velocity and CS velocity have positive effects on customer loyalty. More importantly, the effects of CCI velocity on customer loyalty over time are stronger than those of CS velocity. The moderation analysis further shows that the higher the frequency of visits to the service firm, the stronger the effects of relationship velocity on customer loyalty. Practical implications The results provide new insights for service marketing managers by suggesting that, to benefit the long-term effectiveness of relationship investments, service firms should shift the priority from increasing CS to engendering CCI. Originality/value This paper contributes to the theory of relationship dynamics by conceptualizing new constructs of CS velocity and CCI velocity and by empirically comparing their relative effects on customer loyalty over time.

Investigating a Longitudinal Trajectory of Child Obesity and Its Association with Child Maltreatment in South Korea

This study investigated the association between child maltreatment and body mass index (BMI) using data from four waves (wave 2 in 2011 through 5 in 2014) of the Korean Children &amp; Youth Panel Survey collected by the South Korean National Youth Policy Institute. We employed a latent growth curve modeling approach to estimate an unobserved latent trajectory and to test the longitudinal effects of child abuse and neglect on BMI. Our results indicate that child abuse is significantly associated with BMI and children who report higher levels of abuse tend to have higher rates of increase in their BMI. This study addresses a gap in the literature by demonstrating that a parent's maltreatment of their child has a long‐term effect on the rate of change in their BMI over time.

Breastfeeding and IQ Growth from Toddlerhood through Adolescence.

ObjectivesThe benefits of breastfeeding for cognitive development continue to be hotly debated but are yet to be supported by conclusive empirical evidence.MethodsWe used here a latent growth curve modeling approach to test the association of breastfeeding with IQ growth trajectories, which allows differentiating the variance in the IQ starting point in early life from variance in IQ gains that occur later in childhood through adolescence. Breastfeeding (yes/ no) was modeled as a direct predictor of three IQ latent growth factors (i.e. intercept, slope and quadratic term) and adjusted for the covariates socioeconomic status, mother's age at birth and gestational stage. Data came from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), a prospective cohort study of twins born between 1996 and 1994 in the United Kingdom, who were assessed 9 times on IQ between age 2 and 16 years (N = 11,582).ResultsHaving been breastfed was associated with a small yet significant advantage in IQ at age 2 in girls (β = .07, CI 95% from 0.64 to 3.01; N = 3,035) but not in boys (β = .04, CI 95% from -0.14 to 2.41). Having been breastfeeding was neither associated with the other IQ growth factors in girls (slope: β = .02, CI 95% from -0.25 to 0.43; quadratic: β = .01, CI 95% from -0.02 to 0.02) nor in boys (slope: β = .02, CI 95% from -0.30 to 0.47; quadratic: β = -.01, CI 95% from -0.01 to 0.01).ConclusionsBreastfeeding has little benefit for early life intelligence and cognitive growth from toddlerhood through adolescence.

Identifying longitudinal growth trajectories of learning domains in problem-based learning: a latent growth curve modeling approach using SEM.

To determine the direction and extent to which medical student scores (as observed by small-group tutors) on four problem-based-learning-related domains change over nine consecutive blocks during a two-year period (Domains: Problem Solving/Use of Information/Group Process/Professionalism). Latent growth curve modeling is used to analyze performance trajectories in each domain of two cohorts of 1st and 2nd year students (n = 296). Slopes of the growth trajectories show similar linear increments in the first three domains. Further analysis revealed relative strong individual variability in initial scores but not in their later increments. Professionalism, on the other hand, shows low variability and has very small, insignificant slope increments. In this study, we showed that the learning domains (Problem Solving, Use of Information, and Group Process) observed during PBL tutorials are not only related to each other but also develop cumulatively over time. Professionalism, in contrast to the other domains studied, is less affected by the curriculum suggesting that this represents a stable characteristic. The observation that the PBL tutorial has an equal benefit to all students is noteworthy and needs further investigation.

The Interplay Between Interpersonal Stress and Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Over Time for Young At-Risk Couples

The substantial number of young people in romantic relationships that involve intimate partner violence, a situation deleterious to physical and mental health, has resulted in increased attention to understanding the links between risk factors and course of violence. The current study examined couples' interpersonal stress related to not liking partners' friends and not getting along with parents as contextual factors associated with couples' psychological partner violence and determined whether and when couples' friend and parent stress increased the likelihood of couples' psychological partner violence. A linear latent growth curve modeling approach was used with multiwave measures of psychological partner violence, friend stress, parent stress, and relationship satisfaction obtained from 196 men at risk for delinquency and their women partners over a 12-year period. At the initial assessment, on average, the men were age 21.5 years and the women were age 21 years. Findings indicated that couples experiencing high levels of friend and parent stress were more likely to engage in high levels of psychological partner violence and that increases in couples' friend stress predicted increases in couples' partner violence over time, even when accounting for the couples' relationship satisfaction, marital status, children in the home, and financial strain. Interactive effects were at play when the couples were in their early 20s, with couples being most at risk for increases in psychological partner violence if they experienced both high friend stress and low relationship satisfaction. Couples' friend stress had the greatest effect on psychological partner violence when the couples were in their early to mid 20s when levels of friend stress were high. As the couples reached their 30s, low relationship satisfaction became the leading predictor of couples' psychological partner violence.

Body image satisfaction among Norwegian adolescents and young adults: A longitudinal study of the influence of interpersonal relationships and BMI

This study used a latent growth curve modeling approach to examine body image satisfaction in 1132 Norwegian adolescent and adult males and females measured at six times between ages 13 and 30. An additional model examined the long term influence of parent–child relationship, peer relationship (both relationships assessed at age 13), and BMI (measured at each interval) to the patterns of change. The results showed a linear growth in body image satisfaction through adolescence followed by a stabilizing of the latent curve in adulthood for both genders. There were gender and developmental variations in the relative contributions of parents and peers for the slope and quadratic growth and in the contribution of BMI to body image satisfaction. When controlling for BMI, initial parent–child relationships and peer relationship predicted the variance in slope growth for males. Parent–child relationship predicted quadratic growth for males. Among females, only initial peer relationships predicted linear growth. No effect was found for quadratic growth. BMI had an additional negative effect on body image satisfaction during adulthood.

Using Bowen Theory to Examine Progress in Couple Therapy

The purpose of this investigation was to test whether differentiation of self in couple members affected the trajectories of marital satisfaction, marital commitment, and individual well-being across the early sessions of therapy while taking into account the level of distress the couple was experiencing. The sample consisted of 127 couples seeking services at an on-campus couple and family therapy clinic. A latent growth curve modeling approach was used for data analysis. Even though differentiation of self or distress levels were not found to be predictive of change in marital satisfaction, commitment, or well-being, for both husbands and wives higher levels of differentiation were predictive of lower distress scores and higher baseline scores for well-being. Higher levels of distress were associated with lower levels of marital satisfaction for both husbands and wives. When there was a change in commitment, both husbands and wives seemed to change together. Implications of the results for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

A latent growth curve modeling approach using an accelerated longitudinal design: the ontogeny of boys' and girls' talent perceptions and intrinsic values through adolescence

This article presents latent growth modeling, a particular application of multilevel modeling, to examine the development of adolescents' math- and English-related talent perceptions and intrinsic values which are emphasized by Expectancy-Value theory as important precursors to a range of achievement-related outcomes. The longitudinal cohort-sequential study included participants in 3 overlapping cohorts, together spanning Grades 7 to 11 (N = 1,323). In this paper, I focus on the application of latent growth curve modeling to the accelerated longitudinal design and the interpretation of the growth parameters and their correlates in evaluating students' developmental trajectories across 2 key academic domains. Talent perceptions and intrinsic values were found to decline through adolescence in both math and English, and gender differences favored boys for math and girls for English consistent with gender stereotypes.