Innovative Methods

The social world is complex, and as social scientists we are likely to encounter a lot of important and interesting questions that we cannot answer with only the methods in our original toolbox. We are committed to the use of methodological approaches that allow for deeper understanding of the phenomenon and create a stronger foundation on which to base policies and programs addressing social issues. Whether through quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method methodologies, we feel it is important to use the methods which will best allow us to answer our specific research questions. Our team has particular expertise in a variety of quantitative methods, including latent variable modeling techniques (e.g., latent class/latent profile analysis), propensity score and causal inference techniques, as well as multi-level modeling approaches.

Related Projects: With colleagues at RTI International and the University of Alabama, we received funding from the National Institute of MentalHealth (1R01MH124438-01; PI: A. Morgan-Lopez) to conduct an integrative data analysis of 11 randomized control trials of the Coping Power Program, a school-based preventive intervention for youth demonstrating aggressive, disruptive behavior. Integrative data analysis is an individual data synthesis method that combines individual level data from multiple studies, improving power to detect commonly underpowered effects (e.g., moderation, mediation), among other advantages. In this study, we aim to evaluate the impact of the Coping Power Program on suicidality and related behavioral health outcomes.

https://reporter.nih.gov/search/_cb92fCYuEuiauVv1klkYw/project-details/1...

Drs. Debnam and Deutsch received funding from the William T. Grant Foundation (201930; 3/2021 –2/2023) to lead the Foundation's mixed methods consultancy which includes providing individual consultation with grantees/applicants, and hosting mixed methods workshops, and guiding researchers towards designs, data types, and analytic approaches that reflect a diversity of content-specific goals and aims.

http://wtgrantfoundation.org/new-capacity-building-grant-will-support-mi...

https://education.virginia.edu/news/youth-nex-professors-support-researc...

Presentations:

• Morgan-Lopez, A., Lochman, J.E., Bradshaw, C.P, Saavedra, L., McDaniel, H., Yaros,A., Powell, N., ... & Duran, C.A.K. (2021, May). Theoretically-Driven, Gender-Specificity in Coping Power’s Pathways to the Reduction of Suicide Risk and Completion: A Combined IDA/MIPD Study. In A. Morgan-Lopez (Chair), Emerging Issues in the Synthesis of Preventive Intervention Trial Data in Examining Crossover Effects on Suicidality and Related Psychiatric Disorders. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Virtual Format.

Select Publications:

• Bradshaw, C.P., & Kush, J.M. (2019).Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist: Measuring children’s social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Children & Schools, 42(1), 29-40. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdz022
• Bradshaw, C. P., Debnam, K. J., Player, D., Bowden, B., & Lindstrom Johnson, S. (2020). A Mixed-Methods Approach for Embedding Cost Analysis Within Fidelity Assessment in School-Based Programs. Behavioral Disorders. DOI: 0198742920944850.
• Debnam, K. J., Edwards, K., Maeng, J., & Cornell, D. (2021). Educational leaders’ perceptions and uses of school climate data. Journal of School Leadership. 1-22.
• Debnam, K. J., Edwards, K., & Cornell, D. (2021). Improving the school environment: School staff perceptions of school climate data and reporting practices. Journal of Community Psychology, 49(6),1965-1982. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22500
• Kush, J. M., Konold, T. R., & Bradshaw, C.P. (2021). Statistical power for randomized controlled trials with clusters of varying size. Journal of Experimental Education, DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2021.1873089
• Morgan-López, A., McDaniel, H.L., Bradshaw, C.P., Saavedra, L.M., Lochman, J.E., Kaihoi, C.A., Powell, N.P., Qu, L., & Yaros, A.C. (2022). Design and methodology for an integrative data analysis of coping power: Direct and indirect effects on adolescent suicidality. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 115,106705, ISSN 1551-7144, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2022.106705
• Kush, J. M., Konold, T. R., & Bradshaw, C.P. (in press). The sampling ratio in multilevel structural equation models: Considerations to inform study design. Educational and Psychological Measurement.