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Evaluating convergence of within-person change and between-person age differences in age-heterogeneous longitudinal studies
Journal article

Evaluating convergence of within-person change and between-person age differences in age-heterogeneous longitudinal studies

Martin Sliwinski, Lesa Hoffman and Scott M Hofer
Research in human development, Vol.7(1), pp.45-60
2010
DOI: 10.1080/15427600903578169
PMCID: PMC2909778
PMID: 20671986
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/2909778View
Open Access

Abstract

The distinction of between-person age differences from within-person age changes is necessary for understanding aging-related change processes. Although longitudinal studies are required to address issues relating to within person change, most studies begin using age-heterogeneous samples and conclude using survival-heterogeneous samples. Given the numerous potential confounds associated with age-heterogeneous samples, careful treatment of between-person age differences is essential to obtain the correct inferences regarding within-person age change. We demonstrate how failure to differentiate between-person age effects (and by extension, of survival age or other effects producing sample heterogeneity) will lead to uninterpretable inferences regarding within-person change. We recommend that convergence of age differences and age changes be formally evaluated whenever possible.

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