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Predictors of contact difficulty and refusal in a longitudinal study
Robert B Cotter1, Jeffrey D Burke, Rolf Loeber
1Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. cotterrb@upmc.edu
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health : CBMH
|February 14, 2006
Summary
Predictors of participant attrition in longitudinal studies include older age, low socioeconomic status, callous-unemotional behaviors, and paternal antisocial personality disorder. Identifying at-risk individuals aids retention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Longitudinal Research Methods
Background:
- Participant attrition poses a significant threat to the validity of longitudinal research.
- Understanding attrition predictors is crucial for maintaining data integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predictors of contact difficulty and participant refusal in a longitudinal study.
- To inform strategies for minimizing attrition in long-term research.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Developmental Trends Study, a longitudinal investigation of disruptive behavior disorders.
- Analyzed predictor domains including demographics, child and parental functioning, parenting skills, and participant dispersion in 177 clinic-referred boys (ages 11-19).
Main Results:
- Older age, low socioeconomic status, callous-unemotional behaviors, and paternal antisocial personality disorder predicted contact difficulty.
- Older age, rural environment, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder predicted participant refusal.
- Participant dispersion did not significantly predict contact difficulty or refusal.
Conclusions:
- Broader variable assessment can improve identification of at-risk participants for attrition.
- Early identification of participants prone to attrition facilitates targeted retention strategies.