A person-oriented approach in research on developmental psychopathology

Abstract

There is a growing acceptance of a holistic, interactionistic view in which the individual is seen as an organized whole, functioning and developing as a totality. This view emphasizes the importance of patterns of operating factors. Within this framework, a standard variable-oriented approach, focusing on the variable as the main theoretical and analytical unit, has limitations. A person-oriented approach would often be preferable, where the main theoretical and analytical unit is the specific pattern of operating factors. Such an approach is presented here, focusing on individual development and psychopathology. A brief theoretical and methodological overview is given and a classification approach is emphasized. Empirical examples concerning the longitudinal study of adjustment problems illustrate a number of issues believed to be important to development and psychopathology: problem gravitation, the significance of single variables and of patterns, the developmental study of syndromes (=typical patterns), and the detection of "white spots" in development. Introductiontello ( 1996); Cicchetti and Schneider-Rosen (1986); Ford and Lerner (1992); Magnusson There is a growing acceptance of a holistic, and Allen (1983); Magnusson (1993); and interactionistic view in which the individual is Magnusson and Stattin (in press). seen as an organized whole, functioning andThe holistic-dynamic system view is reledeveloping as a totality. The totality is formed vant in all studies of individual development, by interactions among the elements involved; regardless of the level at which the system is each aspect of the various structures and operating. It applies to the cellular level, the processes (behavior, plans, values, goals, bio-cognitive system, the behavior system, and so logical factors, environment, etc.) takes on on. It also expands the boundaries of the indimeaning from the role it plays in the total vidual and includes the environment as well functioning of the individual. The research as interacting individuals. In studies of indiparadigm that most naturally relates to this vidual development, a holistic view should holistic view of individual development per-constitute the theoretical frame of reference ceives development in terms of complex dy-for the formulation of the specific problem, namic systems, as is done in an interaction-the choice of research strategy and methodolistic paradigm. For overviews in this area the ogy, and the interpretation of results. Of reader is referred to Cairns, Elder, and Cos-course, this does not mean that all aspects of

National youth team football players between the conflicting priorities of sports success and vocational training

“…For the conceptualisation of modern development science, Magnusson and Cairns (1996) 186 assume a holistic perspective of human development, on top of the dynamic, interactionist viewpoint, 187 which leads to a person-oriented approach (Bergman & Magnusson, 1997). This approach would also 188 seem to be an appropriate way of dealing with questions about talent development in sports, since it is 189 able to describe the development process of a person within his or her surroundings.…”

Les instruments d’évaluation du risque de comportements violents : mise en perspective critique

“…Un contrôle de variables a posteriori, inscrit dans un schème corrélationnel, exigerait une taille d'échantillon que nous ne pouvons imaginer tellement elle est importante. Même les analyses qui se développent dans le champ de l'évaluation du risque demeurent d'approche linéaire, faisant ici référence aux arbres de classification nouvellement présentés par l'équipe du projet MacArthur (Steadman et al, 2000) ; Bergman et Magnusson (1997) cherchent à rompre avec l'approche linéaire en proposant des analyses non pas centrées sur les variables mais centrées sur les personnes. L'argumentation théorique pour ce faire s'appuie sur la théorie générale des systèmes de Von Bertalanffy (1967, 1968.…”

Family systems approach to attachment relations, war trauma, and mental health among Palestinian children and parents

“…Instead, studies on trauma-affected families have typically applied a variable-oriented approach, analysing separate characteristics, such as parenting quality or attachment styles, in associating with family members’ mental health (Dekel & Monson, 2010). A person-oriented approach, by contrast, can identify unique homogeneous family patterns and depict the dynamic and multiple relationships among family members in different subsystems (Bergman & Magnusson, 1997). In the current study, we apply a person-oriented approach (cluster analysis) to identify family types with different attachment, parenting, and sibling dynamics among Palestinians who live in the midst of political and military conflict in Gaza.…”