An Empirical Validation of the Regression Point Displacement Design Using Within-Study Comparison Logic: Emerging Possibilities and Cautions.

Background: The regression point displacement (RPD) design is a quasi-experiment (QE) that aims to control many threats to internal validity. Though it has existed for several decades, RPD has only recently begun to answer applied research questions in lieu of stronger QEs.

Objectives: Our primary objective was to implement within-study comparison (WSC) logic to create RPD replicates and to determine conditions under which RPD might provide estimates comparable to those found in validating experiments.

Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Centeredness: Assessing the Impact of Feedback Following a Best Practices Workshop.

Regularly reported patient surveys are an important dimension of hospital quality management. This study investigates whether providing hospital staff with interim feedback on patient survey results following a best practices workshop can help hospitals improve patient centeredness. Standardized surveys with consecutive patient samples were administered in accredited breast cancer center (BCC) hospitals in one German state (18 million inhabitants), over a 6-month period, in 2012.

Evaluating Coincident Relationships Between Obesity Incidence and Normal Weight Incidence From Birth Through Kindergarten for US Children.

Purpose: We examine the concurrent relationship between obesity incidence and normal weight status incidence and prevalence in children between 9 months and kindergarten.

Design: Multistage, probability sample from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth cohort.

Setting: United States.

Failed Warnings: Evaluating the Impact of Academic Probation Warning Letters on Student Achievement.

Background: Academic probation is a nearly universal but underresearched policy practiced at most postsecondary institutions.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of probation warning letters on students' academic performance.

Research Design: Employing the inferentially strong regression discontinuity design, we evaluated the impact of two versions of warning letters (U.

Evaluating effects of developmental education for college students using a regression discontinuity design.

Background: Annually, American colleges and universities provide developmental education (DE) to millions of underprepared students; however, evaluation estimates of DE benefits have been mixed.

Objectives: Using a prototypic exemplar of DE, our primary objective was to investigate the utility of a replicative evaluative framework for assessing program effectiveness.

Research Design: Within the context of the regression discontinuity (RD) design, this research examined the effectiveness of a DE program for five, sequential cohorts of first-time college students.