Respondent attrition is a common problem in national longitudinal panel surveys. To make full use of the data, weights are provided to account for attrition. Weight adjustments are based on sampling design information and data from the base year; information from subsequent waves is typically not utilized. Alternative methods to address bias from…

Developmental trajectories provide the empirical foundation for theories about change processes during development. However, the ability to distinguish among alternative trajectories depends on how frequently observations are sampled. This study used real behavioral data, with real patterns of variability, to examine the effects of sampling at…

This technical paper examines the issue of attrition bias in two cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), based on an analysis using data from 1995 to 2002. Data up to 2002 provided eight years of information on members of the Y95 cohort and five years of information on members of the Y98 cohort. This study suggests that…

Data from Terman's "Genetic Studies of Genius" (1925-1959) relating to sample size, mean IQ, and variance of IQ scores were analyzed in terms of their conformation to the theoretically projected statistics derived from a consideration of the normal curve. (Author/RC)

Problems in making inferences from a sample to a population and from one cohort to other cohorts are discussed. It is concluded that in most cases a longitudinal design using repeated measures is preferable to an independent samples design. (Author)

A crucial question in any study is how representative the sample is of the population being studied at the time of the interview. This is of particular concern when the study is based on a follow-up of a sample of respondents initially interviewed for other purposes. This study evaluated the representativeness of a sample of elderly female…

The effects of sampling biases upon research studies requiring different time commitments of Ss in mother-infant studies were examined. Twenty mothers who participated in 35 hours of observation were compared with 17 mothers who refused to participate but completed a questionnaire. Questionnaire responses did not differentiate the two groups.…

Four potential biases incurred by using a sample of wives of male respondents as a sample of women for sex comparisons of the occupational attainment process were examined and empirically assessed. Using data from the Wisconsin longitudinal study of high school seniors, the extent and nature of two potential biases were considered: (1) a sampling…

Conceptual rationales from five research contexts are presented, which all posit unmeasured variables that interact with observed independent variables to produce a complete model of the dependent variable. Strategies for overcoming related difficulties are outlined, including increased longitudinal assessment, oversampling of levels of…

Addresses the lack of data on procedures used to recruit subjects in marital research by examining the effects of different sampling techniques. In Study One, couples recruited through newspaper advertisements were found to be at greater risk for marital discord. In Study Two, couples who responded to mailed solicitation were found to be less…

This paper presents results of a generalizability assessment of two sets of scales designed to evaluate the quality of verbal and nonverbal interactions between parent and child. The Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (NCAFS) and Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scales (NCATS) were developed as part of a longitudinal study aimed at…

Tracking and two statistical methods (probability weighting and sample selection modeling) were studied as ways to minimize bias attributable to sample attrition in school-based studies. Data on student smoking from 30 middle schools illustrate that sample weighting yields the best results, with estimates superior to sample selection and much less…

This study found that accuracy in predicting the out-of-home placement of children with severe disabilities increased little in a large cross-sectional sample (n=5,992) over a smaller semilongitudinal sample (n=141). Factors such as age, adaptive and maladaptive behavior, and ethnicity are discussed. (Author/JDD)

The data entry quality control procedures in discrete data entry tasks in the National Longitudinal Study (NLS) Fourth Follow-Up Survey are examined. Direct data entry terminals were used to key survey questionnaire item responses, telephone interview corrections, respondent background information and supplemental questionnaire responses into…

Project TALENT, a large scale, long range, longitudinal study, is designed primarily to provide insights into the characteristics and development of American adolescents. In order to compare trends in test results, a comprehensive battery of Psychological, educational, and personality measures were administered to participants in the 1960, 1970,…