OBJECTIVES: We analyzed whether a method for identifying latent trajectories--latent class growth analysis (LCGA)--was useful for understanding outcomes for individuals subject to an intervention. METHODS: We used LCGA to reanalyze data from a published study of mentally ill homeless men in a critical time intervention (CTI) program. In that study, 96 men leaving a shelter's on-site psychiatric program were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The former received CTI services and the latter usual services. Each individual's housing circumstances were observed for 18 months after program initiation. Our outcome measure was monthly homelessness: a person was considered homeless in a month if he was homeless for even 1 night that month. RESULTS: Four latent classes were found among the control group, but just 3 among the experimental group. Control, but not experimental, group individuals showed a small class of chronically homeless men. The size of the never-homeless class was 19 percentage points larger for the experimental than for the control group. J- and inverted-U-shaped patterns were also found among both groups, but with important differences in timing of patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal effects not apparent in the original analysis, suggesting that latent class growth models improve intervention evaluation.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: We analyzed whether a method for identifying latent trajectories--latent class growth analysis (LCGA)--was useful for understanding outcomes for individuals subject to an intervention. METHODS: We used LCGA to reanalyze data from a published study of mentally ill homeless men in a critical time intervention (CTI) program. In that study, 96 men leaving a shelter's on-site psychiatric program were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The former received CTI services and the latter usual services. Each individual's housing circumstances were observed for 18 months after program initiation. Our outcome measure was monthly homelessness: a person was considered homeless in a month if he was homeless for even 1 night that month. RESULTS: Four latent classes were found among the control group, but just 3 among the experimental group. Control, but not experimental, group individuals showed a small class of chronically homeless men. The size of the never-homeless class was 19 percentage points larger for the experimental than for the control group. J- and inverted-U-shaped patterns were also found among both groups, but with important differences in timing of patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal effects not apparent in the original analysis, suggesting that latent class growth models improve intervention evaluation.
Authors: D L Shern; C J Felton; R L Hough; A F Lehman; S Goldfinger; E Valencia; D Dennis; R Straw; P A Wood Journal: Psychiatr Serv Date: 1997-02 Impact factor: 3.084
Authors: Renée de Vet; Maurice J A van Luijtelaar; Sonja N Brilleslijper-Kater; Wouter Vanderplasschen; Mariëlle D Beijersbergen; Judith R L M Wolf Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-08-15 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Donald H Taylor; Michael Ezell; Maragatha Kuchibhatla; Truls Østbye; Elizabeth C Clipp Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2007-12-24 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Carol E Adair; David L Streiner; Ryan Barnhart; Brianna Kopp; Scott Veldhuizen; Michelle Patterson; Tim Aubry; Jennifer Lavoie; Jitender Sareen; Stefanie Renée LeBlanc; Paula Goering Journal: Can J Psychiatry Date: 2016-07-09 Impact factor: 4.356