New Methods for Social Research
Scientists in the SPE program have a continuous program to advance the methods for social research including the advance of mixed method data collection, survey methods, complex research designs, and both data collection and modeling tools for the assessment of causal associations.

Key Projects

Understanding the Connections among Genes, Environment, Family Processes, and Mental Health
R01 MH110872.   NIH/NIMH.   2017-2021.   $3,108,183.
Key Personnel: William G. Axinn, Co-PI, Jordan W. Smoller, Co-PI, Dirgha J. Ghimire, Co-I, Colter Mitchell, Co-I.

Improving Learning: Developing Measures of Accountability and Evaluating their Association with Students’ Gains in Achievement in Nepal
ES/P005551/1.   DFID/ESRC.   2017-2020.   $916,224.
Key Personnel: Dirgha J. Ghimire, PI, Brain Rowan, Co-I, William G. Axinn, Co-I.

Responsive Design for Efficient Survey Data Collection: An Education Program
R25HD084385.   NIH/NICHD.   2016-2021.   $609,912.
Key Personnel: Brady T. West, PI, James Wagner, PI, William G. Axinn, Co-I.

Transition to Adulthood within its Life Course & Intergenerational Family Context (R01 Project 2)
P01 HD087155.   NIH/NICHD.   2016-2021.   $7,859,059.
Key Personnel: Narayan Sastry, P01 PI, William G. Axinn, R01 PI, Deirdre Bloome, Co-I, Pamela Davis-Keane, Co-I, Paula Fomby, Co-I.

New Data Dissemination for Comparative Population Science
R03 HD092516.   NIH/NICHD.   2017-2019.   $155,583.
Key Personnel: William G. Axinn, PI, Dirgha J. Ghimire, Co-I.

University of Michigan Campus Climate Survey
University of Michigan.   2014-2015.   $22,458.
Key Personnel: William G. Axinn, PI, Mick P. Couper, Co-I, James Wagner, Co-I, Zeina Mneimneh, Co-I.

Key Recent Publications

  1. Axinn, William G., Stephanie A. Chardoul, Heather H. Gatny, Dirgha J. Ghimire, Jordan W. Smoller, Yang Zhang, and Kate M. Scott. 2020. “Using Life History Calendars to Improve Measurement of Lifetime Experience with Mental Disorders.” Psychological Medicine Online Only. DOI. PMC6739186.

  2. Ghimire, Dirgha J., Nathalie E. Williams, Arland Thornton, Linda Young-DeMarco, and Prem B. Bhandari. 2019. “Strategies for Origin-based Surveying of International Migrants.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 45(7):1185-1206. DOI. PMC6481943.

  3. Thornton, Arland, Dirgha J. Ghimire, Linda Young-DeMarco, and Prem B. Bhandari. 2019. “The Reliability and Stability of Measures about Individual’s Values and Beliefs Concerning Development Idealism in Nepal.” Sociology of Development 5(3):314-336. DOI.

  4. Couper, Mick P., Garrett Gremel, William G. Axinn, Heidi Guyer, James Wagner, and Brady T. West. 2018. “New Options for National Population Surveys: The Implications of Internet and Smartphone Coverage.” Social Science Research 73:221-235. DOI.

  5. Bhandari, Prem B., and Indra Chaudhary. 2017. “A Calendar Method of Collecting Remittance Use Data in a Remittance Dependent Setting of Nepal.” Migration and Development 6(2):177-197. DOI. PMC5791769.

  6. Ghimire, Dirgha J., William G. Axinn, Heather H. Gatny, and Stephanie A. Chardoul. 2017. “Preparing a Culturally Appropriate Translation of a Survey Questionnaire.” SAGE Research Methods Cases Online Only. DOI.

  7. Yabiku, Scott T., Jennifer E. Glick, Elizabeth Wentz, Dirgha J. Ghimire, and Qunshan Zhao. 2017. “Comparing Paper and Tablet Modes of Retrospective Activity Space Data Collection.” Survey Research Methods 11(3):329-344. DOI. PMC5881931.

  8. Axinn, William G., Elyse A. Jennings, and Mick P. Couper. 2015. “Response of Sensitive Behaviors to Frequent Measurement.” Social Science Research 49:1-15. DOI. PMC4247852.

  9. Axinn, William G., Heather H. Gatny, and James Wagner. 2015. “Maximizing Data Quality using Mode Switching in Mixed-Device Survey Design: Nonresponse Bias and Models of Demographic Behavior.” Methods, Data, Analyses 9(2):163-184. DOI. PMC4746010.

  10. West, Brady T., Dirgha J. Ghimire, and William G. Axinn. 2015. “Evaluating a Modular Design Approach to Collecting Survey Data Using Text Messages.” Survey Research Methods 9(2):111-123. DOI. PMC4551499.

  11. Gatny, Heather H., Mick P. Couper, and William G. Axinn. 2013. “New Strategies for Biosample Collection in Population-Based Social Research.” Social Science Research 42(5):1402–1409. DOI. PMC3717190.

  12. Ghimire, Dirgha J., Stephanie A. Chardoul, Ronald Kessler, William G. Axinn, and Bishnu Adhikari. 2013. “Modifying and Validating the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) for Use in Nepal.” International Journal for Methods in Psychiatric Research 22(1):71-81. DOI. PMC3610833.

  13. Axinn, William G., Dirgha J. Ghimire, and Nathalie E. Williams. 2012. “Collecting Survey Data During Armed Conflict.” Journal of Official Statistics 28(2):153-171. [Full Text] PMC3571111.

  14. Gatny, Heather H., and William G. Axinn. 2012. “Willingness to Participate in Research during Pregnancy: Race, Experience, and Motivation.” Field Methods 24:135-154. DOI. PMC3393046.

  15. Thornton, Arland, Dirgha J. Ghimire, and Colter Mitchell. 2012. “The Measurement and Prevalence of an Ideational Model of Family and Economic Development in Nepal.” Population Studies 66(3):329-345. DOI. PMC3505987.

  16. Wagner, James, Brady T. West, Nicole Kirgis, James Lepkowski, William G. Axinn, and Shonda Kruger Ndiaye. 2012. “Use of Paradata in a Responsive Design Framework to Manage a Field Data Collection.” Journal of Official Statistics 28(4):477–499. [Full Text]

  17. Williams, Nathalie E., Dirgha J. Ghimire, William G. Axinn, Elyse A. Jennings, and Meeta S. Pradhan. 2012. “A Micro-Level Event-Centered Approach to Investigating Armed Conflict and Population Responses.” Demography 49(4):1521-1546. DOI. PMC3495997.

  18. Axinn, William G., Cynthia F. Link, and Robert M. Groves. 2011. “Responsive Survey Design, Demographic Data Collection, and Models of Demographic Behavior.” Demography 48(3):1127-1149. DOI.

  19. Thornton, Arland, Alexandra Achen, Jennifer S. Barber, Georgina Binstock, Wade M. Garrison, Dirgha J. Ghimire, Wang Guangzhou, Ronald Inglehart, Rukmalie Jayakody, Yang Jiang, Julie de Jong, Katherine King, Ron J. Lesthaeghe, Sohair Mehenna, Colter Mitchell, Mansoor Moaddel, Norbert Schwarz, Yu Xie, Li-Shou Yang, Linda Young-DeMarco, and Kathryn M. Yount. 2010. “Creating Questions and Protocols for an International Study of Ideas About Development and Family Life.” Pp. 59-74 in Survey Methods in Multinational, Multiregional and Multicultural Contexts, edited by M. Braun, B. Edwards, J. Harkness, T. Johnson, L. Lyberg, P. Mohler, B.E. Pennell, and T.W. Smith. Hoboken. NJ: John Wiley and Sons. DOI.

  20. Gatny, Heather H., Mick P. Couper, William G. Axinn, and Jennifer S. Barber. 2009. “Using Debit Cards for Incentive Payments: Experiences of a Weekly Survey Study.” Survey Practice 2(7). DOI.

  21. Axinn, William G., and Lisa D. Pearce. 2006. “Mixed Method Data Collection Strategies.” Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

  22. Maples, Jerry J., Susan A. Murphy, and William G. Axinn. 2002. “Two-Level Proportional Hazards Models.” Biometrics 58(4):754-763. DOI.

  23. Pearce, Lisa D. 2002. “Integrating Survey and Ethnographic Methods for Systematic Anomalous Case Analysis.” Sociological Methodology 32(1):103-132. DOI.

  24. Barber, Jennifer S., Susan A. Murphy, William G. Axinn, and Jerry J. Maples. 2000. “Discrete-Time Multilevel Hazard Analysis.” Sociological Methodology 30:201-235. DOI.

  25. Axinn, William G., Lisa D. Pearce, and Dirgha J. Ghimire. 1999. “Innovations in Life History Calendar Applications.” Social Science Research 28(3):243-264. DOI.

  26. Axinn, William G., Jennifer S. Barber, and Dirgha J. Ghimire. 1997. “The Neighborhood History Calendar: A Data Collection Method Designed for Dynamic Multilevel Modeling.” Sociological Methodology 27:355-392. DOI.

  27. Barber, Jennifer S., Ganesh P. Shivakoti, William G. Axinn, and Kishor Gajurel. 1997. “Sampling Strategies for Rural Settings: A Detailed Example from Chitwan Valley Family Study, Nepal.” Nepal Population Journal 6(5):193-203.