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Probing the effects of individual components in multiple component prevention programs
Author(s) -
West Stephen G.,
Aiken Leona S.,
Todd Michael
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00942173
Subject(s) - component (thermodynamics) , health psychology , relation (database) , computer science , strengths and weaknesses , management science , psychological intervention , fractional factorial design , prevention science , outcome (game theory) , factorial , psychology , data science , risk analysis (engineering) , factorial experiment , public health , social psychology , data mining , machine learning , mathematics , medicine , engineering , physics , nursing , mathematical economics , psychiatry , thermodynamics , mathematical analysis
Assessing the contributions of individual components in multi‐component interventions poses complex challenges for prevention researchers. We review the strengths and weaknesses of designs and analyses that may be useful in answering three questions: (1) Is each of the individual components contributing to the outcome? (2) Is the program optimal? and (3), Through what processes are the components of the program achieving their effects? Factorial and fractional factorial designs in which a systematically selected portion of all possible treatment combinations is implemented are used to address question 1. Response surface designs in which each component is quantitatively scaled are explored in relation to question 2. Mediational analysis, a hybrid of experimental and correlational approaches, is considered in relation to question 3. Design enhancements are offered that may further strengthen some of these techniques. These techniques offer promise of enhancing both the basic science and applied science contributions of prevention research.