Embedding multilevel survival analysis of dyadic social interaction in structural equation models: hazard rates as both outcomes and predictors.

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate multivariate multilevel survival analysis within a larger structural equation model. Test the 3 hypotheses that when confronted by a negative parent, child rates of angry, sad/fearful, and positive emotion will increase, decrease, and stay the same, respectively, for antisocial compared with normal children. This same pattern will predict increases in future antisocial behavior.
METHODS: Parent-child dyads were videotaped in the fall of kindergarten in the laboratory and antisocial behavior ratings were obtained in the fall of kindergarten and third grade.
RESULTS: Kindergarten antisocial predicted less child sad/fear and child positive but did not predict child anger given parent negative. Less child positive and more child neutral given parent negative predicted increases in third-grade antisocial behavior.
CONCLUSIONS: The model is a useful analytic tool for studying rates of social behavior. Lack of positive affect or excess neutral affect may be a new risk factor for child antisocial behavior.