IMMERSE Pre-Training Day 1: Workspace
May 7, 2024
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Introductions: IMMERSE Cohort 1 Fellows
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
What do you notice?
In your breakout rooms (5 minutes), identify research areas that you are interested in exploring with mixture modeling. Add those areas of to the following slides
Add your interests on the following slides
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Areas for Your Contributions
Breakout Room 1: Hye-Young, Stephen, Sonyia
Breakout Room 2: Nathan, Natasha, Meeta
Breakout Room 3: Jose, Jennifer, Jacob
Breakout Room 4: Danielle, Alexa, Alexandrea
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 1: Hye-Young, Stephen, Sonyia
Sonyia → Black youth suicidality, Factors that influence wellness and academic outcomes for Black youth
Hye-Young → Exploring heterogeneity of bullying-related behaviors (e.g., bullying, victimization, defending behaviors), considering influence of peer norms or intervention programs among adolescents
Stephen → Protective factors for Black families for different developmental outcomes (MH, academic); Black father interest and parenting practices
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 2: Nathan, Meeta
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 3: Jose, Jennifer, Jacob
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 4: Danielle, Alexa, Alexandrea
Alex - school racial climate, peer racial socialization, critical consciousness and ypar
Danielle - school connectedness (bullying, school climate, and mental health and academic functioning
Lex - school based mental health interventions to understand what youth are getting better. Disability status. YPAR. Methodologist in training.
Common areas: School climate and minoritized youth, YPAR (Lex & Alex), educational and mental health outcomes, school based mental health services
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
In breakout rooms, discuss how you could revise research question 1 or your own research question as a research goal (10 minutes). Add your notes to the following slides. Be prepared to share what your group came up with with others.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 1: Hye-Young, Stephen
Original RQ1
How many latent groups of students learners are there in Kindergarten? Does parent SES and preschool attendance predict who will be in each group?
Revised RQ1
The goals of the study are to (1) identify the heterogeneous profiles of learners in Kindergarten, and (2) examine whether parental SES and preschool attendance are associated with identified groups.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 2: Nathan, Meeta
How many latent groups of students learners are there in Kindergarten? Does parent SES and preschool attendance predict who will be in each group?
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 3: Jose, Jennifer, Jacob
The primary goal was to characterize the population heterogeneity of Kindergarten student learners. A second goal was to examine how parent SES and preschool attendance influences patterns of Kindergarten student learning.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Breakout Room 4: Danielle, Alexa, Alexandrea
How you could revise research question 1 as a research goal?
How many latent groups of students learners are there in Kindergarten? Does parent SES and preschool attendance predict who will be in each group?
What are patterns of learning that emerge across Kindergarten students? Are patterns of learning associated with parent SES and preschool attendance?
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1: Thoughts on articles from expert consultants
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Ongoing Support: Expert Consultants
A postdoctoral research fellow at Boston University, has used mixture modeling as a tool to conduct anti-racist research (Suzuki, Morris, & Johnson, 2021).
Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Research Professor at UCSB, has collaborated on projects using mixture modeling to understand school psychology relevant topics such as bullying, victimization, school belonging, life skills, and mental health.
Michael Furlong, Ph.D.
Sara Suzuki, Ph.D.
An education researcher at SRI International, uses mixture modeling to understand reading development in multiple groups of students including students at-risk for reading difficulties, children diagnosed with Autism, and English learners.
Ryan Grimm, Ph.D.
Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, has collaborated on projects using mixture modeling to understand peer victimization (Nylund, Bellmore, Nishina, & Graham, 2007) and youth coping strategies (Nylund-Gibson, Garber, Singh, Witkow, Nishina, & Bellmore, 2021).
Amy Bellmore, Ph.D.
Professor at UCSB, has collaborated on projects using mixture modeling to understand students’ understanding of science and engineering (Harlow, Swanson, Nylund-Gibson, & Truxler, 2011).
Danielle Harlow, Ph.D.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1
Alexandrea - I read the Suzuki et al. (2021) article that was mentioned in the training on Tuesday. This was a very thorough and thought-provoking article focused on QuantCrit and mixture modeling. I appreciated that this article pushed the reader to consider that every choice they make from the variables they include in their models to the ways they align with or depart from existing theories are important choices that can perpetuate oppressive narratives or challenge them. This also made me think of how we can use various indicators to better understand how examining patterns in latent subgroups can help us better understand what experiences are impacting racially minoritized youth’s development.
Lex- In the article by Moore et al., 2019, it was helpful to see the framing in the current study section regarding a lack of hypotheses followed by a sentence about the utility of identifying stable profiles over time. Are there other recommended approaches to address reviewers’ comments about needing hypotheses in the current study section? This study also led me to the following question: What are some of the considerations when examining whether specific sociodemographic factors predict class membership, especially for groups with a smaller sample size? In the Solari et al., 2019 article, I was wondering how the researchers considered the impact of the population that was included in these profiles (i.e., predominantly male and Caucasian). I am curious about this, especially in the context of different phenotypic presentations of ASD across genders, as well as differences in access to diagnosis (e.g., SES, race, ethnicity, geographic location) given that the inclusion criteria required a community diagnosis of ASD. This also raised the question of representation among autistic individuals/individuals with autism in the creation, implementation, or interpretation of the study, especially in the context of labeling the profiles. Finally, this study raised the following questions for me: Who are these profiles truly representative of given who was included in the study? What other profiles might exist in the general population that weren’t captured here? Should the underlying population who IS being represented in these profiles be more apparent in the naming of the profiles, the title of the manuscript, etc.?
Sonyia - In the article Suzuki et al. (2021), I was excited to read about the incorporation of QuantCrit into mixture modeling as this is a framework that I use often in my research. I appreciated the following statement, ”only addressing race without explicit discussions of racism may suggest racial inequities are natural (p. 539).” This statement encouraged me to ensure that with my research on Black youth suicide, I am more intentional about including content on racism and how it contributes to the experiences of this population. I have not always been intentional with including this and will do so moving forward.Further, the three moments help to provide anti-racist strategies for mixture modeling processes.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1
Meeta- In reading Suzuki and colleagues (2021) work, the authors make a compelling argument for why utilizing the framework of QuantCrit is necessary when exploring research questions within anti-racist developmental research. Furthermore, when implementing mixture models into research paradigms, Suzuki et al., (2021) discussed the critical importance of incorporating theoretical frameworks (e.g., Garcia Coll et al, 1996; Spencer et al., 1995), that highlight the role of how structural factors may exacerbate disparities in the developmental trajectories. Additionally, Suzuki and colleagues (2021) bring up how mixture modeling is a way to look at the within group differences instead of the usual between group differences that much of social science research considers. This is apparent in some of the other studies that explored the utilization of mixture modeling in multiple outcomes for minoritized populations. For example, the work by Moore and colleagues (2019) highlighted how latent profile analysis (LPA) can be administered to look at within group differences by using a model building process. By conducting an LPA, Moore et al., (2019) were able to provide a richer snapshot of mental health profiles in high school students that provided an in-depth understanding of the nuance of adolescent well-being. This nuance is also apparent in the work conducted by Nylund and colleagues (2007) in their study on victimization and psychological adjustment in middle schoolers using LCA paradigms and the work by Quirk et al., (2016) that employed LCA, and GMM in Latino kindergartners. By using mixture modeling, paradigms can shift and provide researchers richer conceptualization of the data and the development of research agendas.
Jennifer - To start, I really appreciate the brief overviews of QuanCrit and mixture modeling in Suzuki et al.(2021). Next, I liked how the authors applied the central tenets of QuanCrit to (3) key moments in the research decision-making process to demonstrate how researchers should engage in reflexivity throughout the research process - starting from conceptualize to dissemination. In reflecting on the first moment, I agree with the authors’ points about the importance of grounding research questions in critical theory, examining issues of oppression, and taking a strength-based approach. However, I’ve found that there are often a limited number of tools developed for use with youth to help researchers in doing so (e.g. limited measures to examine SDOH and questionable social validity of positive psychology tools with youth of color). I think this is an area for future researchers to focus on and appreciated the authors’ critiques of existing measures in this section. In reading about “moment 2,” I like the varied examples provided by the authors to demonstrate the usefulness of mixture modeling in applied research and the importance of measurement invariance in the last example to guide the research plan and responsibly contextualize the findings. Given my own research interests, I especially appreciated the discussion of intersectionality in the Shramko et al. (2018) study described in “moment 3.” Resources at end of article were great too. Overall, a wonderful and informative read with helpful practical tips!
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1
Jacob - I read the Solari, Grimm, et al. paper focused on reading profiles with higher functioning autism. Great article. Specific to equity, I was thinking about the little we actually “know” about ASD as a neurodevelopmental condition. ASD symptoms/conditions more often than not co-occur with other neurodevelopmental conditions, like ADHD, OCD, anxiety, etc. The authors do a great job attesting to what the data can tell us and that ASD has heterogeneity in symptoms, and so it just made me curious about how this would look with a larger sample with more diverse ranges in co-occurring conditions. It also made me wonder if there are research teams that include geneticists, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc to offer an interdisciplinary approach to a research design that could expand the scope and focus on a wider variety of children with ASD symptoms. In the context of education, I think this blend of expertise would yield some great insight for a variety of stakeholders (e.g., educators, parents, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc.).
Danielle-(Suzuki et al., 2021). This article was very insightful and challenges the researcher to interrogate every decision that is made during the analysis process with a goal of conducting research that promotes racial justice and equity. What stuck with me was the following sentence, “Scholars who use a QuantCrit approach strive to use quantitative methods toward anti-racism by engaging in rigorous, continuous, self-reflexivity throughout the research process and unpacking systems of oppression as they relate to the phenomena under study.” This is a constant reminder and charge for me to continuously interrogate my research practices and self-reflect as to not perpetuate or reinforce racist ideology that have often been rooted in my research and statistical training.
Nathan - I also started the Suzuki et al. (2021) article. It was very helpful in extending my understanding of QuantCrit applications in mixture modeling research. I would like to see additional examples if possible. Often, discussions of QuantCrit “fizzle” a bit after the core of CRT is introduced but this article was great in its applications of various components of QuantCrit and the development of strategies for mixture modeling. From my observations, I am mostly interested in learning more prior to settling on any direct priorities.
Jose - (Suzuki et al., 2021) This article is quite insightful and This article is quite insightful and discusses the importance of sound quantitative research from a QuantCrit framework -mixture modeling, specifically. It highlights the importance of how critically examining each ‘moment’ from developing our research questions, conducting analysis, and interpreting results.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 1
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 2: Create a draft of your research goals
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Asynchronous Activity 2
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals include examining profiles of occupational health and well-being among teachers with disabilities/disabled teachers, as well as identifying whether disability-, teacher-, or school-level factors (e.g., accommodations, school climate towards disability, intersecting identities) are associated with profile membership. I subsequently aim to examine whether profile membership is associated with both student- and teacher-level outcomes (e.g., retention in the teaching workforce, student wellness), and investigate whether disability-, teacher-, or school-level factors moderate the association between profile membership and distal outcomes.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goal includes understanding latent patterns of school climate and school racial climate in Black youth and further exploring how these patterns relate to youths’ academic outcomes.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals include examining latent profiles of school climate and school connectedness in Black adolescents; examining whether school- and district-level factors predict profile membership; and examining the associations between profile membership and mental health outcomes.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My current research interest is promoting sustainable and equitable school contexts. Aim 1 is to identify multiple domains of school climate and Aim 2 is to evaluate which specific domains or combinations of domains are associated with racial/ethnic disparities in school adjustment outcomes, such as academic achievement and school discipline.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
I have two projects with research goals.
First, I want to leverage mixture modeling techniques to explore nuanced patterns of computer science (CS) course-taking among neurodiverse students. I want explore distinct pathways of CS course-taking for each subgroup of neurodiverse students, examine factors associated with the likelihood of completing each identified CS pathway, and examine how these pathways predict long-run educational and economic outcomes.
Second, I want to use mixture modeling techniques to explore educator pipeline pathways (e.g., teachers, principals, superintendents) in Texas, characteristics that associate with these pathways, and then how each pathway predicts measures of educator retention and effectiveness.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
One of my research goals is to examine the population heterogeneity of educators and school mental health professionals related to the latent constructs of adultification bias (and other forms of racialized gender bias), cultural humility and attitudes toward trauma-informed care. I’m interested in exploring variables that predict profile membership and how profile membership relates to youth outcomes such as school discipline and mental health service utilization, particularly for Black and Brown girls and gender-expansive youth. I’d like to find ways to use mixture modeling along with youth participatory approaches like YPAR to center the leadership and voices of young people in research to promote social change.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals include identifying heterogeneous profiles of Spanish-English bilingual Latino youth to inform the sociocultural contexts in which they interpret and solve science items. And examine how gender, SES, language proficiency, and other important factors are associated with identified groups.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals encompass looking how race-related factors are associated with academic trajectories in Brown and Black youth and young adults. Specifically, I am interested in exploring how latent profiles of racial discrimination experiences and ethnic-racial socialization practices vary with regards to academic motivation and achievement in Brown and Black youth. Additionally, it is imperative to explore how factors such as gender, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity vary across profiles as they may highlight the importance of contextual factors in the developmental trajectories of youth and young adults.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals are to: (1) deepen and broaden my mixed-modeling skillset; (2) utilized secondary data sources to examine adolescent development with a targeted focus on cultural experiences; (3) employ rigorous quantitative methods to explore resilient pathways for Black youth that support the academic and mental health outcomes.
My research project for the next year, using the tools learned through this training program, is to use secondary data to examine profiles of discrimination experiences and its impact on mental health outcomes.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
Research goals:
I will use the data from my dissertation study (HSLS:09) to understand mixture modeling techniques and update my understanding of the implementation of these techniques as it relates to population heterogeneity - which was a focus of my dissertation study.
I will also identify more recent data to extend my work around students’ transitions after high school, with a focus on identifying the various “profiles” of students in relation to their priorities and goals (e.g., traditional approaches split students by 2-year, 4-year, technical, I would like to explore groupings).
Open to suggestions for data but currently I am eyeing HS&B22 data to be released in 2026.
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
My research goals include (1) identifying the heterogeneous profiles of Black adolescents’ perceptions of school safety and school connectedness, and (2) exploring whether identified profiles are associated with suicide risk behaviors (ideations, planning, and attempts).
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)
ADD YOUR DRAFT RESEARCH GOALS HERE
IMMERSE Project– IES funded Training Grant (R305B220021)