Moving Beyond Main Effects: A Data Analytic Strategy for Testing Complex Theories of Clinical Phenomena. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Russell, Alissa; Haeffel, Gerald J.; Hankin, Benjamin L.; Maxwell, Scott E.; Perera, Robert A.
• Is Part Of: Clinical psychology. Volume 21:Number 4(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 385
• Page End: 397
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Clinical psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Pathological -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1111/cpsp.12083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-5893

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="cpsp12083-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The goal of this study was to advance a data analytic strategy for testing sophisticated models of clinical phenomena. We illustrate this method by testing a prominent and highly specific cognitive model of depression (Abramson et al., 1989). Specifically, we used multilevel modeling (MLM) to test the entire sequence featured in the hopelessness theory. The study used a daily diary design with a sample of undergraduates (<italic>n </italic>=<italic> </italic>210). To our knowledge, this is the first study to use multilevel modeling with multiple waves of data to test a model with two mediators and a moderator. Results of analyses provided strong support for the MLM strategy and offer a concrete example for how to test complex theories of clinical phenomena.</p> </abstract>