Research Focus (IV) Methodological and Measurement Issues in Developmental Psychopathology
Methodological and measurement challenges are of particular importance to the study of developmental psychopathology. For example, developmental psychopathology is often concerned with the study of continuity and change. The study of continuity and change provides challenges with regard to for example identifying intra-individual and inter-individual change in light of different types of assessment procedures. For example, in assessing depression among children and adolescents, most researchers would ask at age 6 a teacher/parent to report on the child’s depression whereas at age 16 the adolescent him/herself would in all likelihood report on his/her depression. An important question in developmental psychopathology is how to integrate this information from multiple informants and whether intra-individual and inter-individual change can be studied.
The lab is involved in a number of projects that (a) advance ‘best’ practices in methodology and measurement for developmental psychopathologists and (b) focus on developing reliable and valid measures for the study of psychopathology and competence. The lab studies for example the measurement of competence across time (i.e. how do we measure competence in the context of age-related changes and changes in the best practices to measure competence for middle childhood versus adolescence) and how to integrate information from multiple informants on child psychopathology.
There are currently a number of research projects that provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
Continuity and Change in Antisocial Behavior. Study of assessment issues in child psychopathology, particularly focusing on stability and change in antisocial behavior during a one-year period.
Validating the Views of Life Survey. Confirmatory Factor Analysis investigating the structure of the IDEA, also focusing on equivalence across gender, SES, and age.
Multiple Informants in Developmental Psychopathology Research. Study of the use of multiple informants in child psychopathology research, how to best integrate information from multiple informants and understanding discrepancies in information among informants on child behavior problems.
Collaborators
Elizabeth Goncy, M.A. (Child Clinical Graduate Student, Kent State University)
Bryan Karazsia, M.A. (Child Clinical Graduate Student, Kent State University)
Jelena Obradovic (Developmental Graduate Student, University of Minnesota)
Recent Publications
Acock, A., Van Dulmen, M. H. M., Allen, K., & Piercy, F. (2004). Contemporary and emerging research methods in studying families. In V. Bengtson, A. Acock, K. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of Marriage and Family Theory and Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Ong, A., & van Dulmen, M. H. M. (in press). Handbook of Methods in Positive Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Van Dulmen, M. H. M. (2004d). Quantitative research methods. In R. Lerner & C. Fisher (Eds.), Applied Developmental Science Encylopedia. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Forthcoming Papers/Papers Currently Under Review
Belliston, L. M., van Dulmen, M. H. M., Flannery, D. J., & Singer, M. I. Validation of a measure of recent violence exposure.
Kertes, D. & van Dulmen, M. H. M., Latent trait state modeling of cortisol
Karaszia, B. T., van Dulmen, M. H. M., Wildman, B. G., Caserta, D. A., Tankersley, M. Confirmatory factor analysis of the parenting scale in a community sample.
Obradovic, J., van Dulmen, M. H. M., Yates, T. M., Carlson, E. A., Egeland, B. Methodological issues in the assessment of competence over time.
Van Dulmen, M. H. M., Burt, K. B., Roisman, G. I., & Egeland, B. Evaluating discrepancy and agreement between reports of mothers and teachers on child behavior problems: The role of the quality of the mother-child relationship and maternal depression.
Recent and Forthcoming Presentations
Van Dulmen, M. H. M., & Goncy, E. (2006, May). Revalidation of the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood. Paper to be presented at the annual meetings of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago (IL).
Kertes, D., & van Dulmen, M. H. M., & Gunnar, M. (2005, April). Latent trait state modeling of cortisol. Poster presented at the biennial meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta (GA).