Simultaneaous MODEL TEST statements v... PreviousNext
Mplus Discussion > Growth Modeling of Longitudinal Data >
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 Dayuma Vargas posted on Monday, December 03, 2012 - 12:30 pm
Hello there,

I have a latent growth curve model and wanted to see if the intercept and slope means differed between two groups, so I used the MODEL TEST command. When I run a test simultaneously looking at the two latent constructs, the Wald Test is significant:

MODEL TEST:
0 = i1 - i2;
0 = s1 - s2;

However, when I run a MODEL TEST for each comparison separately, neither one is significant. I am not sure how to interpret this. Any advice?

Thank you.
 Tihomir Asparouhov posted on Monday, December 03, 2012 - 2:44 pm
You can interpret this as follows. The two models with 1 constraint fit the data well, however the more constraint model with 2 constraints no longer fits the data well.

You can also use LRT(likelihood ratio test) and BIC for inference.
 Dayuma Vargas posted on Monday, December 03, 2012 - 9:05 pm
While I understand that interpretation, it does not really help me understand the pattern of differences I have found. Neither intercept nor slope differ between the two groups when tested independently BUT when tested together, there is a group difference identified (both by MODEL TEST and by looking at the chi-square difference test of nested models). Can I say that group 1 and group 2 differ in their model of growth? (The intercept and slope are significant. If the significant difference identified when testing the two latent means together, then group 1 shows a lower baseline value and a shallower growth over time than group 2).
 Bengt O. Muthen posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2012 - 11:09 am
Testing both together tests whether the line is equal across groups and this is a stronger hypothesis than testing either intercept or slope. The joint test would be the same as the two separate ones only if the two tests were uncorrelated.
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