Conceptual comparison of constructs as first step in data harmonization: Parental sensitivity, child temperament, and social support as illustrations

Verhage ML, Schuengel C, Holopainen A, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Bernier A, Brown GL, Madigan S, Roisman GI, Væver MS, Wong MS, Barone L, Behrens KY, Behringer J, Bovenschen I, Cassibba R, Cassidy J, Coppola G, Costantini A, Dozier M, Ensink K, Fearon RM, Finger B, Hautamaki A, Hazen NL, Ierardi E, Jongenelen I, Køppe S, Lionetti F, Mangelsdorf S, Oosterman M, Pace CS, Raby KL, Crugnola CR, Simonelli A, Spangler G, Tarabulsy GM, Arnott B, Bailey H, Brice PJ, Brisch KH, Castoro G, Costantino E, Cyr C, George C, Gloger-Tippelt G, Gojman S, Harder S, Howes C, Jacobsen H, Jacobvitz D, Jin MK, Juffer F, Kazui M, Leerkes EM, Lyons-Ruth K, McMahon C, Meins E, Millán S, Murray L, Nowacki K, Pederson DR, Priddis L, Sagi-Schwartz A, Schoppe-Sullivan SJ, Solomon J, Speranza AM, Steele M, Steele H, Teti DM, van IJzendoorn MH, van Londen-Barentsen WM, Ward MJ (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Book Volume: 9

Article Number: 101889

DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101889

Abstract

This article presents a strategy for the initial step of data harmonization in Individual Participant Data syntheses, i.e., making decisions as to which measures operationalize the constructs of interest - and which do not. This step is vital in the process of data harmonization, because a study can only be as good as its measures. If the construct validity of the measures is in question, study results are questionable as well. Our proposed strategy for data harmonization consists of three steps. First, a unitary construct is defined based on the existing literature, preferably on the theoretical framework surrounding the construct. Second, the various instruments used to measure the construct are evaluated as operationalizations of this construct, and retained or excluded based on this evaluation. Third, the scores of the included measures are recoded on the same metric. We illustrate the use of this method with three example constructs focal to the Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis (CATS) study: parental sensitivity, child temperament, and social support. This process description may aid researchers in their data pooling studies, filling a gap in the literature on the first step of data harmonization. • Data harmonization in studies using combined datasets is of vital importance for the validity of the study results. • We have developed and illustrated a strategy on how to define a unitary construct and evaluate whether instruments are operationalizations of this construct as the initial step in the harmonization process. • This strategy is a transferable and reproducible method to apply to the data harmonization process.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

University of Bari Aldo Moro / Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro Italy (IT) University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) United States (USA) (US) University of Delaware (UDEL) United States (USA) (US) Université Laval (UL) Canada (CA) University College London (UCL) United Kingdom (GB) Montana State University Billings United States (USA) (US) Helsingin yliopisto / University of Helsinki Finland (FI) University of Texas at Austin United States (USA) (US) University of Milano-Bicocca / Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, UNIMIB Italy (IT) Universidade Lusófona Portugal (PT) University of Copenhagen Denmark (DK) Università degli Studi Gabriele D'Annunzio Italy (IT) University of Wisconsin - Madison United States (USA) (US) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam Netherlands (NL) University of Genova / Università degli Studi di Genova Italy (IT) University of Utah United States (USA) (US) University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova Italy (IT) Newcastle University United Kingdom (GB) University of Guelph (U of G) Canada (CA) Columbian College of Arts and Sciences United States (USA) (US) Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Canada (CA) Mills College United States (USA) (US) Universitätsklinikum Ulm Germany (DE) University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) United States (USA) (US) Sookmyung Women's University Korea, Republic of (KR) Leiden University Netherlands (NL) Macquarie University Australia (AU) Fachhochschule Dortmund - University of Applied Sciences Germany (DE) University of Haifa / אוניברסיטת חיפה Israel (IL) Ohio State University United States (USA) (US) University of Cambridge United Kingdom (GB) Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) / Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Netherlands (NL) Weill Cornell Medicine United States (USA) (US) Université de Montréal Canada (CA) University of Minnesota (UMN) United States (USA) (US) Endicott College United States (USA) (US) Università degli Studi di Pavia Italy (IT) Ibaraki University / 茨城大学 Japan (JP) University of North Carolina at Greensboro United States (USA) (US) Harvard University United States (USA) (US) University of York United Kingdom (GB) University of Reading United Kingdom (GB) Western University Canada (CA) Edith Cowan University Australia (AU) Università degli studi "La Sapienza" Italy (IT) The New School United States (USA) (US) Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) United States (USA) (US) Universiteit Utrecht (UU) / Utrecht University Netherlands (NL) University of Georgia (UGA) United States (USA) (US) University of Calgary Canada (CA) SUNY Polytechnic Institute United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Verhage, M.L., Schuengel, C., Holopainen, A., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., Bernier, A., Brown, G.L.,... Ward, M.J. (2022). Conceptual comparison of constructs as first step in data harmonization: Parental sensitivity, child temperament, and social support as illustrations. MethodsX, 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2022.101889

MLA:

Verhage, Marije L., et al. "Conceptual comparison of constructs as first step in data harmonization: Parental sensitivity, child temperament, and social support as illustrations." MethodsX 9 (2022).

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