PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P M Bentler

Publications and source records attributed to P M Bentler.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

A two-stage estimation of structural equation models with continuous and polytomous variables.

This paper develops a computationally efficient procedure for analysis of structural equation models with continuous and polytomous variables. A partition maximum likelihood approach is used to obtain the first stage estimates of the thresholds and the polyserial and polychoric correlations in the underlying correlation matrix. Then, based on the joint asymptotic distribution of the first stage estimator and an appropriate weight matrix, a generalized least squares approach is employed to estimate the structural parameters in the correlation structure. Asymptotic properties of the estimators are derived. Some simulation studies are conducted to study the empirical behaviours and robustness of the procedure, and compare it with some existing methods.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

Structural equation analyses of clinical subpopulation differences and comparative treatment outcomes: characterizing the daily lives of drug addicts.

The use of structural equation modeling (SEM) is illustrated for comparative treatment outcome research conducted with heterogeneous clinical subpopulations within large multimodality treatment settings. All analyses are accomplished with SEM analogs of more familiar classical multivariate techniques. The effect of the early period of treatment on the daily lives of 486 clients in two drug abuse treatment modalities (methadone maintenance and outpatient counseling) is evaluated. Structured means analysis is used to assess initial differences between modalities on the latent means of 6 latent constructs reflecting daily life. The effect of treatment modality and attrition from the program on daily life latent constructs is evaluated while initial selection differences are statistically controlled. Effect sizes are computed on the basis of SEM parameter estimates. The advantage of SEM over classic multivariate approaches for correcting for selection bias when assessing comparative outcomes is explained.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Attitudes and health behavior in diverse populations: drunk driving. Alcohol use, binge eating, marijuana use, and cigarette use.

Five different health behaviors (cigarette use, alcohol use, binge eating, illicit drug use, and drunk driving) were studied prospectively in 5 different groups of subjects. Associations between attitudes toward these behaviors and the behaviors themselves were investigated over at least 2 waves of measurement. Findings revealed that attitudes predicted behavior nonspuriously in 2 instances: alcohol use and marijuana use. Attitudes did not predict drunk driving, binge eating, or smoking behaviors. Past behavior predicted attitude in the domains of binge eating and smoking, but not in the domains of alcohol use, drunk driving, or marijuana use. The results are discussed in terms of several alternative approaches that have implications for interventions that attempt to influence health behavior through attitude change.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Psychosocial correlates and predictors of AIDS risk behaviors, abortion, and drug use among a community sample, of young adult women.

Relations among latent constructs of Social Conformity, Sensation Seeking, Polydrug Use, Sexual Experience, Abortion, and Risky AIDS Behaviors were examined among a community sample of women (N = 438, mean age = 25.5 years) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and predictive structural equation models (SEM). In the CFA, Risky AIDS Behavior was strongly related to more Polydrug Use and less Social Conformity and modestly related to Sexual Experience and Abortions. In SEMs, Social Conformity significantly predicted less Risky AIDS Behavior and less Polydrug Use but did not predict Abortions. Prior Sexual Experience predicted more Polydrug Use and Abortions. We conclude that the same psychological processes and predispositions that relate low social conformity to drug use and other unhealthy behaviors also influence AIDS-risk behaviors, even among a community sample of women.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1994

Bootstrap-corrected ADF test statistics in covariance structure analysis.

The asymptotically distribution-free (ADF) test statistic for covariance structure analysis (CSA) has been reported to perform very poorly in simulation studies, i.e. it leads to inaccurate decisions regarding the adequacy of models of psychological processes. It is shown in the present study that the poor performance of the ADF test statistic is due to inadequate estimation of the weight matrix (W = gamma -1), which is a critical quantity in the ADF theory. Bootstrap procedures based on Hall's bias reduction perspective are proposed to correct the ADF test statistic. It is shown that the bootstrap correction of additive bias on the ADF test statistic yields the desired tail behaviour as the sample size reaches 500 for a 15-variable-3-factor confirmatory factor-analytic model, even if the distribution of the observed variables is not multivariate normal and the latent factors are dependent. These results help to revive the ADF theory in CSA.

Factor Analysis, Statistical↗
PubMed1994

Consequences of adolescent drug use and personality factors on adult drug use.

This study examined the stability of adolescent drug use into young adulthood and explored the possible influence of personality on adolescent and adult drug use. Participants in this longitudinal study (N = 640) completed questionnaires which assessed multiple indicators for latent constructs of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and hard drugs, and also for the personality constructs of Socialization. In addition, the effects of obedience and extraversion were examined. Results showed that a general drug use factor in adolescence significantly predicted young adult drug use. A particular effect of adolescent obedience on adult drug use was noted. Within adolescence, obedience, extraversion, and the construct of Socialization were significant predictors of drug use. Early onset of smoking predicted adolescent drug use. The implications of these findings for early drug use education and intervention are discussed. Additional analysis explored the possibility of treating obedience as another indicator of Socialization. This model could not provide as good a fit as the original model. The measure of obedience acted as a better predictor of drug use than an overall factor of Socialization. Gender differences are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Consequences of adolescent drug use on young adult job behavior and job satisfaction.

Longitudinal data (N = 785) collected during Ss high school years (1971-1973) and in 1981 were used to assess the influence of adolescent drug use on adult job behaviors, job satisfaction, and adverse terminations while accounting for concurrent adult drug use, years of drug use, and adolescent achievement motivation. Relationships were minimal between adolescent drug use and adult work-related indicators in confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and predictive path models. Although significantly related in the CFAs, higher adolescent achievement motivation did not predict less adult drug use when adolescent drug use was included as a control. Less achievement motivation in adolescence significantly predicted more negative job behaviors and less job satisfaction, but not terminations. Correlations were significant between more adolescent drug use and less adolescent achievement motivation and between adult job problems and adult drug use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Cognition and the corpus callosum: verbal fluency, visuospatial ability, and language lateralization related to midsagittal surface areas of callosal subregions.

Normal volunteers (28 women), 20-45 years old, completed tests of visuospatial ability, verbal fluency, and language lateralization, and the midsagittal surface areas of the splenium, isthmus, midregion, and genu of the corpus callosum were measured from inversion recovery magnetic resonance images. Multivariate statistics were used to analyze patterns of correlations. Verbal fluency correlated positively with the area of the splenium and with the area of a posterior callosal factor defined largely by the splenium. The posterior callosum, particularly the splenium, also correlated negatively with language lateralization. There were no other consistent brain-behavior relationships. These results are relevant to understanding factors involved in the development of cognitive characteristics that show sex differences and to understanding the neural basis of language lateralization and verbal abilities.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Can test statistics in covariance structure analysis be trusted?

Covariance structure analysis uses chi 2 goodness-of-fit test statistics whose adequacy is not known. Scientific conclusions based on models may be distorted when researchers violate sample size, variate independence, and distributional assumptions. The behavior of 6 test statistics is evaluated with a Monte Carlo confirmatory factor analysis study. The tests performed dramatically differently under 7 distributional conditions at 6 sample sizes. Two normal-theory tests worked well under some conditions but completely broke down under other conditions. A test that permits homogeneous nonzero kurtoses performed variably. A test that permits heterogeneous marginal kurtoses performed better. A distribution-free test performed spectacularly badly in all conditions at all but the largest sample sizes. The Satorra-Bentler scaled test statistic performed best overall.

Female↗
PubMed1992

On the fit of models to covariances and methodology to the Bulletin.

It is noted that 7 of the 10 top-cited articles in the Psychological Bulletin deal with methodological topics. One of these is the Bentler-Bonett (1980) article on the assessment of fit in covariance structure models. Some context is provided on the popularity of this article. In addition, a citation study of methodology articles appearing in the Bulletin since 1978 was carried out. It verified that publications in design, evaluation, measurement, and statistics continue to be important to psychological research. Some thoughts are offered on the role of the journal in making developments in these areas more accessible to psychologists.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1992

Structural equation models in medical research.

Structural equation modelling (SEM) is a modern statistical method that allows one to evaluate causal hypotheses on a set of intercorrelated nonexperimental data. The sample variances and covariances, and possibly the means, are compared to those predicted by a theory-based hypothetical model after optimal estimation of the parameters of the model. The goodness-of-fit of the empirical data to the hypothesized model is evaluated statistically. This review describes the underlying statistical theory and rationale of SEM. Both confirmatory factor analysis and latent variable path models are discussed. The applicability of SEM to assessment of reliability and validity is noted. A detailed example is provided, and several examples from the medical literature are briefly reviewed. Cautions regarding the possible misuse or misinterpretation of the technique are also mentioned. Possible future directions for the use of SEM in medical research are suggested. Two appendices provide more technical details.

Factor Analysis, Statistical↗
PubMed1992

Etiologies and consequences of adolescent drug use: implications for prevention.

This paper reviews recent results and work in progress from a longitudinal study of drug use etiologies and consequences. Early- and mid-adolescent drug use patterns, personality, and behavioral correlates were studied in a large sample of normal youth beginning in the mid-1970's. To determine the correlates and consequences of adolescent drug use, controlling for related tendencies such as lack of social conformity and deviant friendship networks, 654 youngsters were followed into young adulthood and their behaviors and lifestyles evaluated. Teenage drug use was found to disrupt many critical developmental tasks of adolescence and young adulthood. Tendencies to use many different drugs as an adolescent led in young adulthood to increased drug crime involvement, decreased college involvement, increased job instability, income, psychoticism, and stealing episodes. Intervention efforts should be directed not only towards decreasing drug use, but also towards improving personal maturity, social skills, and economic opportunities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Interactive and higher-order effects of social influences on drug use.

The study of moderators and higher-order effects of social influences on drug use has many implications for theories of health behavior. In the present study, we investigated the longitudinal predictive effects of some of the prominent moderator variables that represent forms of susceptibility toward social influence in teenage drug use. We also studied the possibility that social influence may predict drug use in nonlinear (quadratic) forms, consistent with theories proposing that threshold or decelerating effects may occur in social influences on normatively sanctioned behaviors. Results showed that several of the interactive and quadratic predictive effects were significant. The findings supported the views that certain moderator variables act as buffers, which either protect the individual from social pressures to use drugs, or make the individual more susceptible to such pressures. In addition, two of the obtained quadratic effects of social influence lent support to the application of social impact theory to drug use. Overall, our findings suggest that interactive and nonlinear approaches to social influences on drug use provide a unique and viable theoretical perspective from which to construe this problem health behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Cognitive motivation and drug use: a 9-year longitudinal study.

The predictive precedence of expectancy constructs, operationally defined as cognitive motivations, and drug use was investigated over a 9-year period from adolescence to adulthood. Alternative predictions from three different classes of theories of expectancy-behavior relations, including expectancy theory, a Skinnerian approach, and a reciprocal determinism perspective, were evaluated. The results are most consistent with the notion based in expectancy theory that cognitive motivations are nonspurious and possibly functionally autonomous influences on the use and abuse of drugs. More limited support is found for the view that drug use leads to cognitive motivations, as postulated in other theoretical perspectives. Other findings reveal the presence of expectancy generalization processes consistent with Rotter's (1954) expectancy theory, as well as the unique status of cognitive motivations for alcohol as an independent predictor of problem drug use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Personality, problem drinking, and drunk driving: mediating, moderating, and direct-effect models.

Three different general explanations of the effect of personality on problems from drinking alcohol were investigated. One general explanation involved mediating effects. The 2nd explanation involved direct effects of personality. The 3rd general personality process held that alcohol consumption and personality interact as moderating effects on drinking problems. Results provided support for each of the 3 general explanations of personality effects, although certain effects were found primarily for only 2 of the 6 personality constructs investigated (sensation seeking and cognitive motivation). These findings helped delimit the personality processes associated with drinking problems and demonstrated the viability of several specific processes that go beyond traditional assumptions about personality and problem drinking.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Scaled test statistics and robust standard errors for non-normal data in covariance structure analysis: a Monte Carlo study.

Research studying robustness of maximum likelihood (ML) statistics in covariance structure analysis has concluded that test statistics and standard errors are biased under severe non-normality. An estimation procedure known as asymptotic distribution free (ADF), making no distributional assumption, has been suggested to avoid these biases. Corrections to the normal theory statistics to yield more adequate performance have also been proposed. This study compares the performance of a scaled test statistic and robust standard errors for two models under several non-normal conditions and also compares these with the results from ML and ADF methods. Both ML and ADF test statistics performed rather well in one model and considerably worse in the other. In general, the scaled test statistic seemed to behave better than the ML test statistic and the ADF statistic performed the worst. The robust and ADF standard errors yielded more appropriate estimates of sampling variability than the ML standard errors, which were usually downward biased, in both models under most of the non-normal conditions. ML test statistics and standard errors were found to be quite robust to the violation of the normality assumption when data had either symmetric and platykurtic distributions, or non-symmetric and zero kurtotic distributions.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Comparative fit indexes in structural models.

Normed and nonnormed fit indexes are frequently used as adjuncts to chi-square statistics for evaluating the fit of a structural model. A drawback of existing indexes is that they estimate no known population parameters. A new coefficient is proposed to summarize the relative reduction in the noncentrality parameters of two nested models. Two estimators of the coefficient yield new normed (CFI) and nonnormed (FI) fit indexes. CFI avoids the underestimation of fit often noted in small samples for Bentler and Bonett's (1980) normed fit index (NFI). FI is a linear function of Bentler and Bonett's non-normed fit index (NNFI) that avoids the extreme underestimation and overestimation often found in NNFI. Asymptotically, CFI, FI, NFI, and a new index developed by Bollen are equivalent measures of comparative fit, whereas NNFI measures relative fit by comparing noncentrality per degree of freedom. All of the indexes are generalized to permit use of Wald and Lagrange multiplier statistics. An example illustrates the behavior of these indexes under conditions of correct specification and misspecification. The new fit indexes perform very well at all sample sizes.

Humans↗