Summer Institute Courses in Mental Health Research
June 11 - June 21, 2012

New courses will be posted in the spring!  Stop back and check for updates.  Below are the courses offered during 2011.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY

Gender and Mental Health
Tamar Mendelson
June 16, 2011, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
330.627.11 (1 credit)
Examines gender differences in critical areas of mental health using a lifespan developmental approach. Contextualizes material using perspectives from biology, genetics, evolutionary theory, theories of socialization, and feminist theories. Focuses primarily on populations, covering mental health issues relevant to childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and late life. Addresses gender differences in normative development (e.g., socialization of emotion) and in major mental and behavioral disorders (e.g., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder). Explores the impact of differential exposure and vulnerability to social stress (e.g., role strain) on psychological functioning. Also discusses implications for intervention and prevention.

Introduction to Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics
Peter Zandi
June 13, 14 & 15, 2011, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
330.637.11 (1 credit)
This course provides an overview of research methods and their application to the study of behavioral and psychiatric genetics. The course begins by briefly introducing necessary concepts in molecular and population genetics. It then surveys study designs and analytic methods used to investigate the genetic contribution to human behavior and its disturbances. The study designs covered will include the following: family, twin and adoption studies to evaluate the extent of a genetic contribution; segregations studies to determine the mode of inheritance; linkage and association studies to map genes; and other epidemiologic designs to elucidate genes by environment interactions. These will be illustrated through examples of real studies. At the end of the course, the student will be familiar with our current understanding of the role genetic factors play in human behavior and its disturbances and how our research may further that understanding.

Epidemiology of Major Mental Disorders
William Eaton and Peter Zandi
June 13-17, 2011, 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
330.669.11 (2 credits)
Presents an overview of the epidemiology of schizophrenia and associated syndromes; affective psychosis, including bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder and associated syndromes; and the anxiety syndromes, including panic, agoraphobia, social and specific phobia and generalized anxiety. Assumes basic knowledge of the clinical features of the syndromes, but touches briefly on issues of assessment in the context of epidemiology. Includes the fundamentals of descriptive epidemiology for each syndrome (prevalence, incidence, natural history); consequences of the syndromes for impairment, disability and general health; and an assessment of risk factors for the syndromes, including a discussion of the genetic epidemiology of the syndromes.

**CANCELLED**  Principles of Measurement in Mental Health Research 
Christine Koth
June 13-14, 2011, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
330.671.11 (1 credit)
Good measurement is the cornerstone of all research, and this course introduces procedures and statistics to determine the quality of a survey measure. Using examples from the mental health literature, the course presents the concepts of "reliability" and "validity" and describes tests to assess these properties, such as the alpha coefficient, the kappa coefficient, the intraclass correlation and construct validity. After attending this course, students will know how to assess the quality of a survey measure and what types of information are needed for this evaluation.

MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS

Prevention Research in Mental Health
George Rebok and Nicholas Ialongo
June 23, 2011, 8:30-5:30 p.m.
330.673.11 (1 credit)
Introduces the basic principles and methods that guide research on the prevention of alcohol, drug abuse and mental disorders. Focuses on specific topics in prevention-trial design, including multistage sampling and assessment methods, community and institutional base building, intervention theory and monitoring, and data analysis techniques and findings. Examines developmental epidemiologic and other methodologic approaches from a life-course perspective. No prerequisites; however, knowledge of basic epidemiologic and developmental principles will be helpful in interpreting the research presented.

MENTAL HEALTH POLICY

SS./R: Analysis of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Epidemiological Survey Data
Silvia Martins and Pierre Alexandre
June 15, 16, 2011, 8:00-12:00 a.m.
330.818.11 (1 credit)
Introduces students to some basic and advanced epidemiological research methods that are required for correct estimation of prevalence, confidence intervals, measures of association, and statistical significance tests, when the source of data is a complex multi-stage field survey. Presents and discusses examples of applied research using data from large psychiatric epidemiologic surveys. Students learn how to indentify appropriate data sources and approaches to analyzing these data as well as potential limitations associated with the use of these data. Discusses the utility of surveys in informing and assessing mental health and substance abuse policy.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Evaluation of Mental Health Service Systems
Christine Walrath
**CANCELLED** 
 June 22, 2011, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
330.672.11 (1 credit)
Presents foundations of service program evaluation. It will include developing a framework to guide evaluation activities, building consensus among stakeholders, identifying outcomes, developing data collection strategies, and developing data-driven program development. The course will discuss how to use multi-level evaluation strategies to assess the complexity of change within service systems. Examples from the services evaluation field will be used to illustrate key concepts and strategies.

Knowledge for Managing County and Local Mental, Substance Use, and Developmental Disability Authorities
Ronald Manderscheid
William Eaton
Philip Leaf
June 20-21, 2011, 8:00-12:00 p.m.
330.610.11 (1 credit)

Reviews the key features of successful management of county and local authorities that oversee and conduct mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services. Also explores environmental factors that impact local operations, as well as facility with key tools to plan and implement services. Specifically explores two principal environmental factors, i.e., National Health Reform and Medicaid, and two primary tools for management, i.e., strategic planning and needs assessment. Emphasizes practical knowledge so that managers can apply the information immediately upon returning to their programs. Students are expected to bring practical problems to the course and to leave with useful strategies and tools for solving them.

**CANCELLED**  SS/R: Access, Benefits, and Care: The ABCs of National Health Reform for Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions
Ron Manderscheid
June 16-17, 2011; 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
330.819.11 (1 credit)

Reviews the key features of National Health Reform: Uninsurance and Underinsurance, Medical/Health Home, Prevention and Promotion, Quality Improvement; and Performance Measurement. Examines each of these areas of reform from the perspective of key issues in mental health and substance use, and how well the reform legislation addresses the needs of these fields. Specific course content is guided by the final legislation; also reviews implementation steps already underway in the US Department of Health and Human Services.

MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Missing Data Procedures for Psychosocial Research
Elizabeth Stuart
June 16-17, 2011, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
330.616.11 (2 credits) (this course is offered every other year)

Since analyses that use just the individuals for whom data is observed can lead to bias and misleading results, students discuss types of missing data, and its implications on analyses. Covers solutions for dealing with both types of missing data. These solutions include weighting approaches for unit non-response and imputation approaches for item non-response. Emphasizes practical implementation of the proposed strategies, including discussion of software to implement imputation approaches. Focuses on recently developed software to implement multiple imputation, such as IVEware for SAS and ICE for Stata. Examples come from school-based prevention research as well as drug abuse and dependence. Students should bring laptop for hands-on learning on Day 2.

Design and Analysis of Group-Randomized Trials with Applications to Mental Health
David Murray
June 20, 2011 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm, and June 21, 2011 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
330.634.11 (1 credit)

Introduces students to the design and analysis of group-randomized trials (GRTs), and presents GRT methods that reflect the state of the science. At the end of the course, participants will be able t distinguish between valid and invalid designs for GRTs; distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate analysis methods given information on the design of a trial;? discuss recent developments in the state of the science that are not well-reflected in current practice, with particular emphasis to mental-health applications; discuss the two major problems that routinely plague GRTs ? extra variation and limited degrees of freedom; discuss analytic approaches that are available to reduce extra variation ? modeling time, regression adjustment for covariates; discuss design approaches that are available to reduce extra variation ? timing of data collection, spacing of data collection; be familiar with current methods for a priori sample size calculation in a variety of designs currently employed in group-randomized trials.

Longitudinal Analysis with Latent Variables
Shaunna L. Clark
June 15-17, 2011    8:30 am - 5:30 pm
330.666.11 (3 credits)

Acquaints students with the use of latent variables in longitudinal data analysis as it is conceptualized in the Mplus framework. Focuses on modeling opportunities for observed categorical (binary and ordinal) and count variables with both continuous and categorical latent variables. Using standard linear regression models as a point of departure, covers binary and ordinal logistic regression; latent growth curve models with binary and ordinal outcome variables; Poisson regression; Poisson and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) latent growth curve models; discrete- and continuous-time survival analysis; and latent transition analysis. Students study examples drawn from available public date sets.

**CANCELLED**     The Use and Misuse of Factor Analysis in Mental Health    
Christine Koth
June 20-21, 2011, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
330.821.11 (1 credit)

Presents exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the psychological and social sciences. Identifies when factor analysis is appropriate, and develops analytical decision making skills required for the method. Addresses the role of factor analysis in test construction and test validity. Topics include assumptions of the model, indeterminacy, communalities, choosing the number of factors, rotation, sample size, and interpretation of findings. Draws examples from the social sciences including functional impairment and child classroom behavior. Intended for doctoral students, and post-doctoral fellows.