Journal article
On the Interpretation of Parameters in Multivariate Multilevel Models Across Different Combinations of Model Specification and Estimation
Advances in methods and practices in psychological science, Vol.2(3), pp.288-311
09/01/2019
DOI: 10.1177/2515245919842770
PMCID: PMC7384759
PMID: 32719825
Abstract
The increasing availability of software with which to estimate multivariate multilevel models (also called multilevel structural equation models) makes it easier than ever before to leverage these powerful techniques to answer research questions at multiple levels of analysis simultaneously. However, interpretation can be tricky given that different choices for centering model predictors can lead to different versions of what appear to be the same parameters; this is especially the case when the predictors are latent variables created through model-estimated variance components. A further complication is a recent change to Mplus (Version 8.1), a popular software program for estimating multivariate multilevel models, in which the selection of Bayesian estimation instead of maximum likelihood results in different lower-level predictors when random slopes are requested. This article provides a detailed explication of how the parameters of multilevel models differ as a function of the analyst's decisions regarding centering and the form of lower-level predictors (i.e., observed or latent), the method of estimation, and the variant of program syntax used. After explaining how different methods of centering lower-level observed predictor variables result in different higher-level effects within univariate multilevel models, this article uses simulated data to demonstrate how these same concepts apply in specifying multivariate multilevel models with latent lower-level predictor variables. Complete data, input, and output files for all of the example models have been made available online to further aid readers in accurately translating these central tenets of multivariate multilevel modeling into practice.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- On the Interpretation of Parameters in Multivariate Multilevel Models Across Different Combinations of Model Specification and Estimation
- Creators
- Lesa Hoffman - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Advances in methods and practices in psychological science, Vol.2(3), pp.288-311
- DOI
- 10.1177/2515245919842770
- PMID
- 32719825
- PMCID
- PMC7384759
- NLM abbreviation
- Adv Methods Pract Psychol Sci
- ISSN
- 2515-2459
- eISSN
- 2515-2467
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Number of pages
- 24
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/2019
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
- Record Identifier
- 9984371104202771
Metrics
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