Latent Variable Mixture Modeling

Abstract

This chapter discusses models with latent variables that are continuous and/ or categorical. It also gives an overview of modeling issues related to crosssectional analysis using latent class models, modeling of longitudinal data using latent class models, and modeling of longitudinal data using a combination of continuous and categorical latent variables (growth mixture models). A series of examples are presented. The analyses are carried out within a general latent variable modeling f\work shown in the appendix using the Mplus program (Muthén & Muthén, 1998). Mplus input specifications for these analyses can be obtained from www.statmodel.com . To introduce the analyses, a brief overview of modeling ideas is presented in Figs. 1.1 to 1.3.