330.660.01 SEMINAR ON METHODS IN PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH

Targets the development of effective research strategies in public mental health, including the identification of research questions, study design, and analytic approaches. Discusses important epidemiologic studies of major psychiatric disorders, such as sample selection, measurement, and analytic strategies. Reviews strengths and weaknesses of these studies and considers recent advances in epidemiologic and statistical methods as alternative approaches for addressing research questions. Also discusses advantages and disadvantages of longitudinal, cross-sectional, and multistage research designs.

After attending this course students will be able to: Identify the major methodological and analytical challenges to the development of effective research strategies in public mental health research; Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various epidemiologic studies of major psychiatric disorders; Describe the advantages and disadvantages of longitudinal, cross-sectional, and multistage research designs; Apply concepts related to the use of marginal, random effects, and latent variable models to different mental health research questions; Identify problems and solutions in estimating the prevalence of major psychiatric disorders.