When Is the Story in the Subgroups? Strategies for Interpreting and Reporting Intervention Effects on Subgroups. MDRC Working Papers on Research Methodology

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Bibliographic Details
Title: When Is the Story in the Subgroups? Strategies for Interpreting and Reporting Intervention Effects on Subgroups. MDRC Working Papers on Research Methodology
Language: English
Authors: Bloom, Howard S., Michalopoulos, Charles, MDRC
Source: MDRC. 2010.
Availability: MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2010
Sponsoring Agency: William T. Grant Foundation
Judith Gueron Fund for Methodological Innovation in Social Policy Research at MDRC
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Groups, Intervention, Statistical Significance, Hypothesis Testing, Computation, Research, Differences, Context Effect, Hispanic Americans, Wellness, Criminals, Employment Programs
Geographic Terms: New York, Rhode Island
Abstract: This paper examines strategies for interpreting and reporting estimates of intervention effects for subgroups of a study sample. Specifically, the paper considers: why and how subgroup findings are important for applied research, the importance of pre-specifying sub- groups before analyses are conducted, the importance of using existing theory and prior research to distinguish between subgroups for whom study findings are confirmatory (hypothesis testing), as opposed to exploratory (hypothesis generating), and the conditions under which study findings should be considered confirmatory based on their pre-specification and pattern of statistical significance for the full sample, its subgroups, and their differences. These issues are illustrated by empirical examples from past work by the authors. (Contains 5 footnotes and 5 tables.) [This paper was also supported by funding from Judith Hispanic Fund for Methodological Innovation in Social Policy Research at MDRC.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 7
Entry Date: 2010
Accession Number: ED509313
Database: ERIC
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