What Difference Does the Dependence Between Durations Make? Insights for Population Studies of Aging

The interpretation of age-specific changes in hazards, relative risks, genetic parameters and other indicators of aging calculated from data on related individuals should take into account the regularities of bivariate selection. Due to such selection the hazard rate calculated for twins who have survived to a certain age may be lower than for singletons, even if marginal chances of survival for all individuals are the same. In a mixed population of relatives the proportion of pairs with closer family links increases with age, even if all marginal individual chances of survival are the same. The proportion of chronic conditions for MZ twins observed in a cross-sectional study may be different from that of DZ twins. The age-dependence of relative risks calculated in genetic-epidemiological studies of twins does not necessarily reflect changes in genetic influence on individual susceptibility to disease and death during the aging process. The age-related changes in heritability of susceptibility estimated in twin studies may have nothing to do with changes in the genetic determination of diseases with age. These issues are illustrated by empirical graphs together with the results of modeling and statistical analysis.     

Chinese widowers' self-perception of growth: an exploratory study

Presence of growth after traumatic events was introduced to the academic community about a decade ago (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995). From the conventionally neglected perspective of Chinese widowers, this paper reports seventeen Chinese widowers' views on growth after conjugal loss. Findings seem to suggest that Chinese widowers would define growth as human learning, a definition probably influenced by Confucian teachings. Furthermore, contrary to claims made by Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004), it was found that growth may occur for some individuals without the presence of distress if the individuals have either a stable philosophy of life and death or optimism to buffer their distress or a sense of responsibility to suppress their distress.     

How frailty models can be used for evaluating longevity limits: Taking advantage of an interdisciplinary approach

In this paper we discuss an approach to the analysis of mortality and longevity limits when survival data on related individuals with and without observed covariates are available. The approach combines the ideas of demography and survival analysis with methods of quantitative genetics and genetic epidemiology. It allows us to analyze the genetic structure of frailty in the Cox-type hazard model with random effects. We demonstrate the implementation of this strategy to survival data on Danish twins. We then evaluate the resulting lower bounds for biological limits of human longevity. Finally, we discuss the limitations of this approach and directions of further research.     

‘Nothing happened’: Legal implications of false denials among abused children

People lie on a frequent basis. However, when a victim of maltreatment lies by denying the abuse, lies can become forensically relevant. We have reviewed the relevant literature on the prevalence and memory consequences of such false denials. The way forensic interviewers proceed in the face of denying children will be shaped by their beliefs about the frequency with which truly abused children deny abuse. We discuss that estimates of the prevalence of false denials among abused children vary but that such false denials do happen. When falsely denying children eventually come forward with their experiences, a second issue lingers: how valid are maltreated children's statements after a false denial? We review the literature indicating that false denials can negatively affect memory for the investigative interview during which the lie was told. Yet, memory for the denied experience itself seems to be mostly preserved, and some research even found potential protective effects of false denials. We conclude that denials should always be handled with care in the court room, since the ground truth usually is not known, but that statements should not be dismissed based solely on previous denials.     

Describing a landscape we are yet discovering

AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis -     

Free time,gender and the pandemic: An exploration of children's daily routines in the times of COVID-19 in Chile

This article discusses the differentiation by gender displayed by children between 8 and 12 years old on how they used their free time during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. This study had a qualitative approach, where 43 in-depth interviews were conducted with children from three different regions of the country, using participatory photo-elicitation as the central tool. The main results of the study show a configuration of free time based on gender stereotypes, showing that boys are the ones who most adhere to such stereotypes, triggering a crisis in the identity construction of masculinities during childhood. The study also suggests that socioeconomic and territorial differences between children configures different experiences of the use of free time.