Intensive longitudinal data has been widely used to examine reciprocal or causal relations between variables. However, these variables may not be temporally aligned. This study examined the consequences and solutions of the problem of temporal misalignment in intensive longitudinal data based on dynamic structural equation models. First the impact…

This study proposes a two-stage causal modeling with instrumental variables to mitigate selection bias, provide correct standard error estimates, and address nonnormal and missing data issues simultaneously. Bayesian methods are used for model estimation. Robust methods with Student's "t" distributions are used to account for nonnormal…

In this paper, the theoretical perspectives and general methodological elements of impact evaluation of quality assurance in higher education institutions are discussed, which should be a cornerstone of quality development in higher education and contribute to improving the knowledge about the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of quality…

Regression artifacts are a source of mistaken causal inference in inferences based on time-series data and from longitudinal studies. These artifacts are illustrated, and it is noted that their magnitude is computable (and distinguishable from genuine effects) if the autocorrelation patterns for various lags is known. (SLD)

Implications of phase space functions for psychological assessment are examined in this third article of the special section. The ability to predict the future time course of variables and the strength of causal relationships can be enhanced if temporal, dynamic, and nonlinear characteristics of variables are considered. (SLD)

The practice of science as a mode of discovery is subject to change. This paper examines the "sciences" practiced by G. Stanley Hall in his "Adolescence" of 1904 and by contemporary researchers who study youth in 2004. After briefly reviewing the nature of Hall's empiricism, we draw on a representative sample of articles (n=182) published between…

Peers serve as reinforcers and models of behavior, and consequently classrooms containing high numbers of students with poor academic skills or behavior problems are likely to promote these behaviors in individual students. This study examined how variations in social and academic classroom composition as well as the larger school context affected…