The Data Management, Measurement, and Statistics core (DMMS) will focus on four aims: (1) to providestate-of-the-art data management and statistical resources and support across projects; (2) to developcommon, psychometrical-ty sound measures to use across projects, notably measures of smoking behaviorsand outcomes; (3) to implement cross-project, integrated analyses; and (4) to develop statistical techniquesand approaches to address key issues related to the analysis of adolescent smoking data.( 1) SUPPORT. A computerized database will be maintained containing all longitudinal reseamh dataobtained from EMA forms, structured interviews, adolescent and parent questionnaires, schools, andphysiological measurements. Rigorous methods for data entry, editing, and updating will be implemented toensure that the data are clean, consistent, and secure. Detailed documentation of the database will bedeveloped by this core. Statistical support and collaboration for all projects will be provided.(2) MEASUREMENT. The program project aims to increase understanding of the longitudinal patterns ofadolescent smoking and the emotional and social contexts in which these occur. A DMMS core aim is toconceptualize and develop measures that will: (a) characterize longitudinal smoking patterns and (b) betractable and interpretable in the analysis of the contexts in which these patterns develop.(3) INTEGRATION. A key feature of the program project is that data will be available from the main studycohort (seven waves) and the three projects. In the DMMS, development of statistical models that allowintegrated analyses of data from many sources will be a major priority. This v, ill be accomplished using avariety of advanced statistical approaches. The goal is to obtain a more complete picture of adolescentsmoking than could be obtained from analyzing the data separately.(4) DEVELOPMENT. Methodological research within the DMMS core will seek to advance developmentof statistical approaches for the analysis of smoking data. These efforts will be focused around the followingprimary issues: the conceptualization/combination of multiple indices of'dependence,' individualheterogeneity in smoking development across time, heterogeneity in the influence of smoking predictors,and characterizing stages of smoking dependence.
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