Multi-group Models Research Articles

Visualizemi: Visualization, Effect Size, and Replication of Measurement Invariance for Registered Reports.

Latent variable modeling as a lens for psychometric theory is a popular tool for social scientists to examine measurement of constructs. Journals, such as Assessment regularly publish articles supporting measures of latent constructs wherein a measurement model is established. Confirmatory factor analysis can be used to investigate the replicability and generalizability of the measurement model in new samples, while multigroup confirmatory factor analysis is used to examine the measurement model across groups within samples. With the rise of the replication crisis and "psychology's renaissance," interest in divergence in measurement has increased, often focused on small parameter differences within the latent model. This article presents visualizemi, an R package that provides functionality to calculate multigroup models, partial invariance, visualizations for (non)-invariance, effect sizes for models and parameters, and potential replication rates compared with random models. Readers will learn how to interpret the impact and size of the proposed non-invariance in models with a focus on potential replication and how to plan for registered reports.

Longitudinal associations between parents' job characteristics, parenting, and adolescent academic outcomes

AbstractObjectiveThis study sought to understand the prospective relationship between parents' jobs, parenting, and adolescents' subsequent school performance.BackgroundRecent research shows that parents' poor job quality and work–family conflict (WFC) are adversely associated with young people's mental health and socioemotional well‐being, with much less known about impacts on adolescents' academic outcomes.MethodWe used data from a nationally representative Australian cohort study to test a longitudinal model linking parents' job characteristics, WFC, and parenting warmth and irritability in early high school, and adolescents' academic achievement in middle high school. Separate models were run for mothers (N = 2,676) and fathers (N = 2,615), and additional multigroup models examined differences between low‐income and middle‐ and high‐income parents.ResultsFindings suggest that parents' WFC increases parenting irritability, which in turn is adversely associated with academic outcomes, particularly for low‐income mothers. Findings also showed that low‐income fathers' WFC was directly associated with poorer academic outcomes.ConclusionParents' WFC in early high school may affect adolescents' achievement in middle high school, with some risks compounded for low‐income households.ImplicationsThis study is among the first to establish a relationship between parents' WFC and adolescents' academic performance and highlights the importance of parents' job resources in supporting adolescent academic outcomes.

Tests of moderation of the big-fish-little-pond effect across students with and without special educational needs in regular versus special education schools

BackgroundInclusive education has become increasingly popular based on the assumption that it has multiple benefits for students with special educational needs (SEN). However, contradictions remain regarding the widespread nature of these benefits, particularly when it comes to academic motivation. AimsIn this large-scale cross-sectional study, we relied on the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect (BFLPE) to assess the links between inclusive education and students’ academic self-concepts and learning interests in the mathematics and verbal domains. SampleThe sample consisted of 21,219 German elementary school children in Grade 4 who were enrolled in three groups: students without SEN attending regular schools (n1 = 19,069), students with SEN attending regular schools (n2 = 933), and students with SEN attending special education schools (n3 = 1214). MethodsDoubly latent multi-group multilevel structural equation models and tests of latent interaction were performed to test the BFLPE. ResultsResults supported the BFLPE for both outcomes and domains. However, no BFLPE was identified for learning interest in the verbal domain among students with SEN attending special education schools, although the size of this effect did not differ significantly from that observed among students without SEN. In regular schools, the BFLPE was almost two times stronger among students with SEN than among their peers without SEN. ConclusionsResults support the generalizability of the BFLPE to students with SEN, while casting doubts on the motivational benefits of inclusive education for these students. Interventions targeted at attenuating the BFLPE should thus be tailored for both regular and special education schools.

A multigroup random-intercept cross-lagged panel model for Finnish secondary school students in frame of situated expectancy-value theory

The aim of this study is to examine both within-person and between-person associations of academic self-concept and task values in literacy and mathematics to identify the most promising motivational construct to prevent motivational decline during school transitions. The sample included 3636 students (average age at the start: 15.73 years, SD: 0.32 years) followed up three times from lower secondary school (T1) to the third year (T3) of upper secondary education, either in vocational or academic tracks. Multi-group random intercept cross-lagged panel models detected several spillover (cross-lagged) effects between self-concept and task values in mathematics but not in literacy. There were also marginal but significant differences between students from different educational tracks in both subjects. Overall, utility value and academic self-concept in mathematics were found to be the most promising motivational constructs in changing motivational beliefs, thus presenting important starting points in motivational interventions. Educational relevance and implications statementThis study highlights that spillover effects are more pronounced in maths than in literacy, emphasising the need for tailored interventions in mathematics education. Moreover, the potential disruption in students' motivational beliefs during school transitions suggests the importance of ensuring continuity in support to help mitigate the impact of these transitions. While our results indicate limited carryover effects, it is possible that school transitions are experienced as breaks in motivational development. The role of utility value in exhibiting spillover effects over school transitions in both maths and literacy suggests the significance of emphasising the practical relevance of academic subjects to sustain students' motivation. Additionally, recognising the superior role of academic self-concept in maths in spillover effects on task values underscores the importance of nurturing students' confidence and beliefs in their own mathematical abilities.

Individual socioeconomic status, neighborhood disadvantage, and cognitive aging: A longitudinal analysis of the CLSA.

There are likely many contributors to variation in the rate of cognitive decline in middle and late adulthood, including individual and neighborhood socio-economic factors. This study examines whether individual socio-economic factors, namely income and wealth, correlate with cognitive decline, in part, through neighborhood-level social and material disadvantage. Using the three waves of data collection from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), this study included 51,338 participants between the age of 45 and 85 years at baseline (51% female). Individual socio-economic status (SES) was assessed by annual household income and by the current value of savings and investments. Neighborhood disadvantage was measured by area-based material and social deprivation indices. Cognition was measured at each wave using verbal fluency, mental alternations, and delayed word recall. Latent change score models, incorporating direct and indirect pathways, were constructed to estimate the indirect effect of individual SES on cognitive change through area-level disadvantage. Multi-group models were constructed on the basis of age-group (45-64 years; 65-74 years; or 75+ years) to allow for varying estimates across age. Among 45-64-year-olds, income and wealth had indirect effects on initial cognitive level and on rate of cognitive decline through material disadvantage (standardized indirect effects = 0.01, p < 0.001), but only wealth had an indirect effect through social disadvantage (p = 0.019). Among 65-74-year-olds, income and wealth had indirect effects on initial cognitive level (p < 0.01) but not on rate of cognitive decline (p > 0.05), and among 75+ year-olds, no indirect effects were observed (p > 0.05). Wealth and income had direct effects, independent of neighborhood disadvantage, on cognition in all age groups (p < 0.05). Among middle-aged adults, greater individual SES may mitigate cognitive decline, in part, by allowing individuals to live in more materially and socially advantaged neighborhoods.

Indirect associations between immigration-related stressors and latine adolescents' depressive symptoms: The moderating roles of familism, nativity, and gender.

This study examined the indirect relationship between immigration-related stressors and depressive symptoms via family conflict and whether familism values moderated this relationship in a sample of U.S. Latine youth. We also explored nativity and gender differences in the predictive model. Participants were 306 Midwestern Latine youth (Mage = 15.50, 46.2% girls, 79.9% Mexican origin) and their primary caregivers who completed measures of study constructs. A series of path models examined the potential mediating role of family conflict and the moderating effects of familism values, gender, and nativity. For the overall sample, parental exposure to immigration-related stressors was related to higher youth depressive symptoms through higher levels of family conflict. However, multigroup models revealed significant differences by nativity and gender. The indirect effect through family conflict was only significant for non-U.S.-born youth with low to average levels of familism-support and average to high levels of familism-obligation; it was not significant for U.S.-born youth. Furthermore, the indirect association was only significant for boys with average to high levels of familism-obligation; no significant indirect effects were found for girls. The results indicate that the indirect pathway linking immigration-related stressors to depressive symptoms via family conflict depends on youth familism values, nativity status, and gender. Findings highlight the distinct effects of familism-support and obligation and the need to consider sociodemographic diversity within Latine communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A General Scheme for Deriving Conditional Reference Priors

Reference prior algorithms are primarily available for models that have asymptotic posterior normality (i.e., regular case), barring for a specific class of models whose posteriors are not asymptotically normal (i.e., non-regular case). In particular, the current reference prior methodology is contingent on models belonging to regular or non-regular cases. This highlights that the existing reference prior theory lacks a unified approach. A partial breakthrough in unifying the reference prior theory came with Berger et al. (2009) deriving an explicit form of reference prior for single group models (i.e., models with a scalar parameter or models that have all the parameters on equal footing or importance). Unfortunately, their approach does not generalize to multi-group models (i.e., models that have parameters’ subsets ordered according to their importance). In this paper, we show that their main result can be extended with modifications to multi-group models. As a consequence, we obtain a general scheme for deriving conditional reference priors. We also prove that the invariance property of reference priors under particular transformations hold for both regular and non-regular cases. We show the usefulness of our approach by computing reference priors for models that have no known reference priors.

The Role of Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Relationship-Specific Features in Self- and Other-Perceptions of Conflict Frequency in Adolescent Relationships with Parents and Peers.

Conflict frequency in adolescence has been linked to personality and relationship-specific features. However, an integrative investigation of both aspects is lacking. To address this gap, this study used data from 571 individuals in middle adolescence (Study 1; Mage = 15.86, SD = 1.23; 75.8% female) and 233 individuals in late adolescence (Study 2; Mage = 17.17, SD = 1.01; 75.5% female) in Germany, including participants' self-reports on conflict frequency and other-reports provided by parents and peers. Across studies, multigroup models revealed that adolescents' level of neuroticism predicted self- and other-perceived conflict frequency in parent and peer relationships more consistently than agreeableness, while providing no evidence for an interplay between both personality traits. Furthermore, relationship-specific features differentially accounted for individual differences in conflict frequency across relationship types, such that in adolescents' relationships with parents, lower relationship quality related to more frequent conflicts. In peer relationships, higher contact frequency was linked to more frequent conflicts. The present findings highlight the contributions of both personality and relationship-specific features to conflict frequency in adolescence and offer practical guidance for the improvement of adolescents' and their relationship partners' social skills and experiences. All research questions, hypotheses, and analyses of this research were preregistered at the OSF and can be retrieved from: https://osf.io/xmvqd/ .

Measuring Psychological Resilience in Aging: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health.

This study aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of 2 emerging psychological resilience (PR) measures constructed for use in large national data sources and to test their reliability across social axes including race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Using 2006/2008 data, the Simplified Resilience Score and the Add Health Resilience Scale were tested using overall and multigroup measurement models in a structural equation modeling framework. Both PR measures perform well as reliable, 1-factor latent constructs capturing adaptive capacity at various life stages. Both measures showed measurement consistency across social axes, with specific differences in item measurement across some racial/ethnic groups. The results indicate these measures represent high quality, consistent measures of PR in nationally representative aging and health data. The availability of reliable, valid measures of PR enables consistent evaluation of resilience in health and aging processes.

Parent-couple satisfaction, parent depression, and child mental health in families with autistic children.

Within two-parent households, the parent-couple subsystem (marital or romantic partner relationship) is posited to shape the mental health of both parents and children. Autistic children and their parents have an elevated-risk for mental health problems. The present study longitudinally examined the mediating role of the quality of the parent-couple relationship in time-ordered pathways between changes in the mental health problems of autistic children and in parent depression symptoms at a within-family level. Using four time points of data collected on 188 families of autistic children (aged 5-12 years) across 3 years, the bidirectional associations between parent-couple relationship satisfaction, parent depressive symptoms, and child internalizing and externalizing mental health problems were investigated. Two multi-group (grouped by parent gender) complete longitudinal mediation models in structural equation modeling using Mplus software were conducted. Parent-couple relationship satisfaction mediated: (1) the association between higher parent depressive symptoms and higher child internalizing mental health problems 12 months later for both mothers and fathers, and (2) the association between higher child externalizing mental health problems and higher father depression symptoms 12 months later. Father depression symptoms mediated a pathway from lower parent-couple satisfaction to higher child internalizing mental health problems 12 months later, and mother depression symptoms mediated the pathway from higher child externalizing mental health problems to lower parent-couple satisfaction 12 months later. Findings highlight the bidirectional and complex ways that parent and child mental health and the quality of the parent-couple relationship are entwined across time in families of autistic children. Family-wide interventions that address the needs of multiple family members and family systems are best suited to improve the mental health of parents and autistic children.

Social Isolation, Physical Activity, and Subsequent Changes in Cognition Among Middle- and Older-Aged Adults: Results From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

The objectives of this study were to a) evaluate associations between social isolation and change in cognition over a 3-year period, and b) evaluate whether physical activity mediates the association between social isolation and cognition change. Using baseline and follow-up 1 data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, latent change score models, incorporating direct and indirect pathways, were constructed to estimate the indirect effect of social isolation on cognitive change through physical activity. Multigroup models were constructed based on age group (45-65 versus 65+ years) and sex to allow for varying estimates across age and sex. The final analytic sample included 51,338 participants. Indirect effects of social isolation on cognition through physical activity were evident in men and women 65+ years old for memory change ( = -0.005 [99.9% confidence interval = -0.007 to -0.002], p < .001 in both groups) and in male adults 65+ years old for executive function change ( = -0.01 [99.9% confidence interval = -0.02 to -0.006], p < .001). Statistically significant indirect effects were not observed for adults between 45 and 65 years old. Social isolation is associated with diminished physical activity, and in turn, diminished physical activity is associated with decline in memory in older women and men, with larger declines in executive function in older men. Public health initiatives to promote physical activity-perhaps incorporating social interaction-among older adults experiencing social isolation could be one way to mitigate the negative impact of social isolation on cognitive health.

Household Income and Offspring Education Explain Blacks' Diminished Returns of Parental Education.

High parental education promotes various aspects of offspring well-being including reducing their risk of depression/anxiety, criminal justice involvement, and welfare reliance. However, according to minorities' diminished returns, these benefits are not equal across racial groups, with Black families experiencing diminished returns of parental education compared to White families. This study explores the role of household income and offspring educational attainment as potential serial pathways that operate as mechanisms underlying diminished returns of parental education on offspring outcomes in Black families. Gender differences in these effects were also explored. Utilizing data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) over a 22-year follow-up period (seven waves), we examined the serial mediation by household income and offspring educational attainment in explaining the relationship between parental education and offspring outcomes namely depression, anxiety, criminal justice involvement, and welfare reliance [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)]. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) with household income as the first mediator and young adult education as the second mediator. Multi-group models were used to explore gender differences in these paths. The study confirmed the role of our proposed serial mediators for Blacks' weaker effects of parental education on offspring outcomes. We observed weaker effects of first affects household income, with this effect being for Black families compared to White families, which then impacted educational attainment of the offspring. The findings indicate that household income plays a crucial mediating role, but its effect is weaker in Black families. Additionally, the educational attainment of offspring from highly educated Black parents is less effective in improving outcomes compared to their White peers, further contributing to diminished returns. Some gender differences were observed for the effects of educational attainment on economic and health outcomes of young adults. The study underscores the need to reconsider traditional assumptions about the comparability of family conditions and outcomes across racial groups with similar levels of parental education. The findings highlight the importance of targeted policies and interventions aimed at enhancing the economic stability and educational outcomes of Black families to address these disparities. Policies should focus on promoting the economic well-being of highly educated Black parents and improving the educational outcomes of their children.

Invariância da Medida de Perfeccionismo entre Estudantes de Graduação Brasileiros e Argentinos

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the cross-cultural invariance of perfectionism between Brazilian and Argentinian cultures, using the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R). A series of multi-group exploratory structural equation modeling models were used to test configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance. The total sample comprised 1589 undergraduate students, 835 Brazilians, and 754 Argentinians, mean age=25.03 (SD=6.58 years). Multi-group analyses revealed that configural and metric measurement invariance were achieved. Partial scalar invariance was found after constraints on the thresholds of items 2 and 10 were released. Minor differences were found in the high standards and order dimensions, although results should be interpreted cautiously due to non-invariance. Overall, the results suggest that the APS-R is mostly comparable between Brazilians and Argentinians. Possible differences in non-invariance specific to some of the scale items, and implications for cross-cultural research of perfectionism are discussed.

Does students’ awareness of school-track-related stereotypes exacerbate inequalities in education?

Early ability tracking increases inequalities in education. It has been proposed that the awareness of negative school-track-related stereotypes contributes to educational inequalities, as stereotype awareness interferes with students’ abilities to thrive, particularly those in lower, stigmatized tracks. The present study tested this assumption in a sample of 3880 German secondary school students from three tracks, who were assessed four times on stereotype awareness regarding their own school track and academic outcomes (achievement, engagement, self-concept) between Grades 5 and 8. Students in the lowest track reported higher levels of stereotype awareness than higher track students or students attending a combined track. Stereotype awareness increased across time in all tracks. Contrary to our preregistered hypotheses, however, the results from multigroup models revealed that (changes in) stereotype awareness were not more strongly related to (changes in) most outcomes in the lowest track in comparison with the other two tracks.

Mediating effects of parent–child dysfunctional interactions in the relationship between parenting distress and social–emotional problems and competencies

This study investigated the association between parenting distress and four variables of young children’s social–emotional problems and competencies: externalizing, internalizing, and dysregulation problems, and social–emotional competencies, and whether parent–child dysfunctional interactions mediated these associations. Participants were Chinese toddlers (N = 711) aged 24–36 months in family (44.3%) and center-based (55.7%) care. The results from structural equation modeling showed that parent–child dysfunctional interactions fully mediated the relationship between parenting distress and externalizing, and dysregulation problems, and social–emotional competencies, while partially mediated in the internalizing problems for both groups. Furthermore, multi-group SEM models showed the direct and indirect pathways differed between two groups. The research concludes that parent-child interaction plays a crucial role in mediating the relationship between parenting distress and young children’s social–emotional problems and competencies. For families’ choice of childcare, this study suggests early center-based services provided for toddlers exposed to family risk characteristics such as parents’ poor mental health, and more importantly, low levels of parent–child interactions.

Comparing RMSEA-Based Indices for Assessing Measurement Invariance in Confirmatory Factor Models.

Fit indices are descriptive measures that can help evaluate how well a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model fits a researcher's data. In multigroup models, before between-group comparisons are made, fit indices may be used to evaluate measurement invariance by assessing the degree to which multiple groups' data are consistent with increasingly constrained nested models. One such fit index is an adaptation of the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) called RMSEAD. This index embeds the chi-square and degree-of-freedom differences into a modified RMSEA formula. The present study comprehensively compared RMSEAD to ΔRMSEA, the difference between two RMSEA values associated with a comparison of nested models. The comparison consisted of both derivations as well as a population analysis using one-factor CFA models with features common to those found in practical research. The findings demonstrated that for the same model, RMSEAD will always have increased sensitivity relative to ΔRMSEA with an increasing number of indicator variables. The study also indicated that RMSEAD had increased ability to detect noninvariance relative to ΔRMSEA in one-factor models. For these reasons, when evaluating measurement invariance, RMSEAD is recommended instead of ΔRMSEA.

Trajectories of parent well-being in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

This longitudinal cohort study aimed to identify trajectories of parent well-being over the first 2 years after their child's evaluation for candidacy for epilepsy surgery, and to identify the baseline clinical and demographic characteristics associated with these trajectories. Parent well-being was based on parent depressive and anxiety symptoms and family resources (i.e., family mastery and social support). Parents of 259 children with drug-resistant epilepsy (105 of whom eventually had surgery) were recruited from eight epilepsy centers across Canada at the time of their evaluation for epilepsy surgery candidacy. Participants were assessed at baseline and 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up. The trajectories of parents' depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and family resources were jointly estimated using multigroup latent class growth models. The analyses identified three trajectories: an optimal-stable group with no/minimal depressive or anxiety symptoms, and high family resources that remained stable over time; a mild-decreasing-plateau group with mild depressive and anxiety symptoms that decreased over time then plateaued, and intermediate family resources that remained stable; and a moderate-decreasing group with moderate depressive and anxiety symptoms that decreased slightly, and low family resources that remained stable over time. Parents of children with higher health-related quality of life, fathers, and parents who had higher household income were more likely to have better trajectories of well-being. Treatment type was not associated with the trajectory groups, but parents whose children were seizure-free at the time of the last follow-up were more likely to have better trajectories (optimal-stable or mild-decreasing-plateau trajectories). This study documented distinct trajectories of parent well-being, from the time of the child's evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Parents who present with anxiety and depressive symptoms and low family resources do not do well over time. They should be identified and offered supportive services early in their child's epilepsy treatment history.

Stochastic multi-group epidemic SVIR models: Degenerate case

This work considers a multi-group epidemic SIR models with vaccination. The fluctuation of the environment is taken into account by introducing both color noise and white noise to a compartmental model. Unlike existing results on stochastic multigroup models, which were not successful in finding the reproduction numbers and fully classify the longtime behaviors of the models, we will provide a formula for the reproduction number R0 of our model and will show that the disease is persistent if R0>1 while the disease will be eradicated if R0≤1. We also provide the explicit formulae for R0 in some special cases. The formulae will be useful to determine the herb immunity threshold of the disease, which can be used to make right and timely policy to control a disease.

Educational identity and maternal helicopter parenting: Moderation by the perceptions of environmental threat.

This four-wave study examined longitudinal associations between maternal helicopter parenting and college students' educational identity processes over 1 year, as well as the moderating effects of mothers' perceived environmental threats (i.e., uncertainty and competition). Participants were 349 first-year university students (39.8% male, Mage = 18.20) and their mothers (Mage = 49.10) in Hong Kong. Latent class growth analysis identified two subgroups based on levels of mothers' threat perceptions (i.e., lower vs. higher). Multi-group random-intercept cross-lagged models found that, at the within-person level, students' reconsideration of educational commitments positively predicted helicopter parenting only for mothers with higher threat perceptions. These findings mainly support youth-driven effects on overbearing parenting behaviors. Mothers' threat perceptions might exacerbate these excessive responses to youth's academic turbulence.

Childhood bullying victimization, emotion regulation, rumination, distress tolerance, and depressive symptoms: A cross-national examination among young adults in seven countries.

Existing research suggests a robust association between childhood bullying victimization and depressive symptoms in adulthood, but less is known about potential mediators of this link. Furthermore, there is limited cross-national research evaluating similarities and differences in bullying victimization and its associations with mental health. The current study addressed gaps in the literature by evaluating cognitive and affective responses to stress (i.e., emotion regulation, rumination, and distress tolerance) as potential mediators of the link between recalled bullying victimization and current depressive symptoms among 5909 (70.6% female) college students from seven countries. Results revealed specific indirect associations of bullying victimization through distress tolerance and three out of four facets of rumination, as well as a persistent direct association of childhood bullying on adulthood depression. Emotion regulation strategies were not significantly associated with bullying victimization and did not mediate its association with depressive symptoms. Constrained multigroup models indicated that results were invariant across country and gender. Findings provide evidence of statistical mediation in a cross-sectional sample and await replication in prospective studies. Rumination and distress tolerance may be promising targets for resilience-promoting interventions among children experiencing peer victimization. Ongoing research is needed to clarify cross-national patterns in childhood bullying, identify additional mediators accounting for the remaining direct association, and evaluate emotion regulation as a potential moderator of associations between bullying victimization and adult mental health.