Binary level-1 independent variables PreviousNext
Mplus Discussion > Multilevel Data/Complex Sample >
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 Peter Halpin posted on Friday, October 11, 2013 - 9:12 am
Hi, I am sorry if this question has been answered somewhere else.

I am wondering about how Mplus deals with binary IVs on level 1 of a multilevel model. When treating these IVs as having both between (level 2) and within (level 1) variance, does the factorization discussed on pages 242-3 of the user's guide (version 6) still apply? How does this address the dependence between the mean and variance of a binary variable?

Or, should binary level-1 IVs be coded as two variables, a cluster mean, specified as between, and the original variable, specified as within? Here I am not clear how specifying the original variable as within would "deal with" its cluster level variation. Can you clarify?

Also, can you please provide a citation that outlines how Mplus deals with this topic.

Thank you
 Linda K. Muthen posted on Friday, October 11, 2013 - 10:57 am
Example 9.1 discusses the two approaches for a covariate.
 Peter Halpin posted on Friday, October 11, 2013 - 1:28 pm
I have read through example 9.1 but I am not sure how this relates to binary covariates. Can you please be more specific?
 Linda K. Muthen posted on Saturday, October 12, 2013 - 9:44 am
You are correct. For a binary covariate, you should put it on the WITHIN list for use on within and create a cluster variable for between. You can do this using the CLUSTER_MEAN option of the DEFINE command.
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