The Library
Selective drop-out in longitudinal studies and non-biased prediction of behaviour disorders
Tools
Wolke, Dieter, Waylen , Andrea E., Samara, Muthanna, Steer, Colin, Goodman, Robert, MRCPsych, Ford, Tamsin and Lamberts, Koen (2009) Selective drop-out in longitudinal studies and non-biased prediction of behaviour disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol.195 (No.3). pp. 249-256. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053751 ISSN 0007-1250.
|
PDF
WRAP_Wolke_selective_studies.pdf - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (376Kb) |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053751
Abstract
Background
Participant drop-out occurs in all longitudinal studies, and if systematic, may lead to selection biases and erroneous conclusions being drawn from a study.
Aims
We investigated whether drop out in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC) was systematic or random, and if systematic, whether it had an impact on the prediction of disruptive behaviour disorders.
Method
Teacher reports of disruptive behaviour among currently participating, previously participating and never participating children aged 8 years in the ALSPAC longitudinal study were collected. Data on family factors were obtained in pregnancy. Simulations were conducted to explain the impact of selective drop-out on the strength of prediction.
Results
Drop out from the ALSPAC cohort was systematic and children who dropped out were more likely to suffer from disruptive behaviour disorder. Systematic participant drop-out according to the family variables, however, did not alter the association between family factors obtained in pregnancy and disruptive behaviour disorder at 8 years of age.
Conclusions
Cohort studies are prone to selective drop-out and are likely to underestimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorder. This empirical study and the simulations confirm that the validity of regression models is only marginally affected despite range restrictions after selective drop-out.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) | ||||
Divisions: | Other > Institute of Advanced Study Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology |
||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, Medicine -- Research, Longitudinal method, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder in children | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | British Journal of Psychiatry | ||||
Publisher: | Royal College of Psychiatrists | ||||
ISSN: | 0007-1250 | ||||
Official Date: | September 2009 | ||||
Dates: |
|
||||
Volume: | Vol.195 | ||||
Number: | No.3 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 249-256 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053751 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | ||||
Funder: | Medical Research Council (Great Britain) (MRC), Wellcome Trust (London, England), University of Bristol, Health Foundation (Great Britain) (HF) |
Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year