Measuring Self-Appraised Changes following Participation in an Intervention for Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Self-Appraisal of Change Scale, a measure designed to capture domains that are subjectively relevant to caregivers, associated with overall well-being, and amenable to change upon engaging in an intervention. Data from 107 caregivers of veterans with dementia enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a telephone-delivered caregiver psychoeducation and support group program (the Telehealth Education Program (TEP)) were analyzed. The TEP, which was delivered by master’s prepared social workers and a nurse dementia care manager, targeted caregivers’ dementia-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-management skills. Analyses were conducted to determine the factor structure, reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of the scale. Factor analyses yielded a single-factor solution for the scale’s nine items. The reliability and construct validity of the scale were also supported by the analyses. Multi-group analyses suggested that meaningful comparisons of scale items and total raw scores can be made across usual care (UC) and intervention groups. The findings offer preliminary support that the scale may represent a valid and reliable instrument that captures perceived changes in key domains (e.g. caregiving knowledge, attitudes, and skill) following participation in a psychoeducational and support intervention trial.     

Work experience as a source of specification error in earnings models: implications for gender wage decompositions

This paper models the bias from using potential vs actual experience in log wage models. The nature of the problem is best viewed as specification error as opposed to classical errors-in-variables. We correct for the discrepancy between potential and actual work experience and create a predicted measure of work experience. We use the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and extend our findings to the Integrated Public Use Microdata Sample. Our results suggest that potential experience biases the effects of schooling and the rates of return to labor market experience. Using such a measure in earnings models underestimates the explained portion of the male–female wage gap. We are able to separately identify the decomposition biases associated with incorrect experience measures and biased parameter estimates.      

The effect of respondent's kinship position on reported levels of integrational contact: USA and Japan

Intergenerational relationships are a topic of general concern to social scientists because of the importance of the family for individual's well-being, especially in times of crisis. Hence, a considerable amount of research on relationships between parents and their adult children has been published in a broad array of social science journals. Most of this research examines intergenerational relationships from the perspective of only one generation and implicitly assumes that we would get the same results if we were to examine the relationships from the point of view of other family members. In societies where there are strong norms regarding kin contact, this assumption is likely to be invalid. This research examines reported levels of face-to-face contact among kin in the USA and Japan, and tests whether these reports are systematically different for respondents in some kinship positions than in others. The results show that norms favoring patrilineal contact in Japan can produce reporting bias. In Japan, married daughters tend to underreport levels of contact with their parents. In the USA, children-in-law report lower levels of visiting.     

Marriage Expectations Among African American Couples in Early Adulthood: A Dyadic Analysis

Using Family and Community Health Study data consisting of 168 unmarried, primarily African American couples, the current study sought to understand the dyadic interplay among school, work, and partner-specific marriage expectations in early adulthood. Drawing on the economic prospects, adult transitions, and work - family literatures, the authors hypothesized and found ample support that expectations to marry a romantic partner were linked not only to one's own school and work-related experiences but also to those of a partner. These associations held while controlling for relationship satisfaction, general views of marriage, and other covariates that have been posited to explain racial inequalities in relationship and marriage patterns. Furthermore, the authors found that actor covariates of marital expectations differed from partner covariates, a finding that highlights the advantages of dyadic analyses in helping researchers understand marriage as both a developmental and interpersonal process.     

Developing a Career in the Practice of Statistics: The Mentor's Perspective

The W.J. Dixon Award for Excellence in Statistical Consulting is given by the American Statistical Association to “a distinguished individual who has demonstrated excellence in statistical consulting or developed and contributed new methods, software, or ways of thinking that improve statistical practice in general.” In this article, five of the seven past recipients of this career-capping award share their experiences and perspectives through 10 stepping stones that move a practicing statistician from consultant to collaborator to leader. We highlight the need for mentorship throughout the discussion, and provide direction for statisticians who would like to incorporate this advice into their careers.