Estimating multiple-membership logit models with mixed effects: indirect inference versus data cloning

Multiple-membership logit models with random effects are models for clustered binary data, where each statistical unit can belong to more than one group. The likelihood function of these models is analytically intractable. We propose two different approaches for parameter estimation: indirect inference and data cloning (DC). The former is a non-likelihood-based method which uses an auxiliary model to select reasonable estimates. We propose an auxiliary model with the same dimension of parameter space as the target model, which is particularly convenient to reach good estimates very fast. The latter method computes maximum likelihood estimates through the posterior distribution of an adequate Bayesian model, fitted to cloned data. We implement a DC algorithm specifically for multiple-membership models. A Monte Carlo experiment compares the two methods on simulated data. For further comparison, we also report Bayesian posterior mean and Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation hybrid DC estimates. Simulations show a negligible loss of efficiency for the indirect inference estimator, compensated by a relevant computational gain. The approaches are then illustrated with two real examples on matched paired data.     

Making visits better: the perspectives of parents,foster parents,and child welfare workers

Mothers of children recently placed in foster care, foster mothers, and child welfare workers participated in semistructured, clinical interviews focusing on the challenges of parent visitation with young children. Mothers described their feelings of grief, trauma, and rage about the forced separation from their children and stressed the importance of emotional expression and communication during visits. Child welfare workers described the complexities of supporting emotionally close parent-child interactions while monitoring and assessing parental behavior during visits. Foster mothers described the importance of preparing children for visits and the difficulties of supporting the children afterward. Implications of understanding mothers', foster mothers', and child welfare workers' perspectives on enhancing the quality of visits with young children are discussed.     

The quality of work and the European economic crisis – the theme and the time: an introduction

The theme of the quality of work and working life has gone through ups and downs, recurrent references, at times only opportunistic, in the sociological literature. Our intention here is certainly not to go once again over the stages, both theoretical and empirical, at the international level, but above all european and italian, of this process.     

Self-selection and direct estimation of across-regime correlation parameter

A direct maximum likelihood (ML) procedure to estimate the ‘generally unidentified’ across-regime correlation parameter in a two-regime endogenous switching model is here provided. The results of a Monte Carlo experiment confirm consistency of our direct ML procedure, and its relative efficiency over widely applied models and methods. As an empirical application, we estimate a two-regime simultaneous equation model of domestic work of Italian married women in which the two regimes are given by their working status (employed or unemployed).     

Harmonized Italian version of the aging males' symptoms scale

Introduction.?The interest in clinical investigations in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of aging men has increased over recent years, particularly in the context of partial androgen deficiency. The aim of this paper is to inform the scientific community about a harmonized Italian Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale.

Methods.?There were two slightly different Italian AMS scales, which both underwent an up-to-date linguistic & cultural translation process, i.e., were both valid to be applied in clinical research. However, there are potential long-term problems associated with having two Italian language versions of the scale in the same country. Therefore, an ad hoc committee of key persons related to both versions met with the scale's developer, to create a harmonized single Italian AMS.

Results.?The harmonization meeting came up with a consensus item-by-item and the new Italian reference scale was agreed upon. It was decided that this scale should be published to avoid any confusion among future users.

Conclusion.?The Italian AMS scale published in this paper should be used for future clinical and other research.