Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

This book offers researchers a systematic and accessible introduction to using a Bayesian framework in structural equation modeling (SEM). Stand-alone chapters on each SEM model clearly explain the Bayesian form of the model and walk the reader through implementation. Engaging worked-through examples from diverse social science subfields illustrate the various modeling techniques, highlighting statistical or estimation problems that are likely to arise and describing potential solutions. For each model, instructions are provided for writing up findings for publication, including annotated sample data analysis plans and results sections. Other user-friendly features in every chapter include "Major Take-Home Points," notation glossaries, annotated suggestions for further reading, and sample code in both Mplus and R. The companion website (www.guilford.com/depaoli-materials) supplies data sets; annotated code for implementation in both Mplus and R, so that users can work within their preferred platform; and output for all of the book’s examples.




Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

***Winner of the 2008 Ziegel Prize for outstanding new book of the year*** Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a powerful multivariate method allowing the evaluation of a series of simultaneous hypotheses about the impacts of latent and manifest variables on other variables, taking measurement errors into account. As SEMs have grown in popularity in recent years, new models and statistical methods have been developed for more accurate analysis of more complex data. A Bayesian approach to SEMs allows the use of prior information resulting in improved parameter estimates, latent variable estimates, and statistics for model comparison, as well as offering more reliable results for smaller samples. Structural Equation Modeling introduces the Bayesian approach to SEMs, including the selection of prior distributions and data augmentation, and offers an overview of the subject’s recent advances. Demonstrates how to utilize powerful statistical computing tools, including the Gibbs sampler, the Metropolis-Hasting algorithm, bridge sampling and path sampling to obtain the Bayesian results. Discusses the Bayes factor and Deviance Information Criterion (DIC) for model comparison. Includes coverage of complex models, including SEMs with ordered categorical variables, and dichotomous variables, nonlinear SEMs, two-level SEMs, multisample SEMs, mixtures of SEMs, SEMs with missing data, SEMs with variables from an exponential family of distributions, and some of their combinations. Illustrates the methodology through simulation studies and examples with real data from business management, education, psychology, public health and sociology. Demonstrates the application of the freely available software WinBUGS via a supplementary website featuring computer code and data sets. Structural Equation Modeling: A Bayesian Approach is a multi-disciplinary text ideal for researchers and students in many areas, including: statistics, biostatistics, business, education, medicine, psychology, public health and social science.




Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

This book has been replaced by Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-5314-3.




Handbook of Latent Variable and Related Models


Book Description

This Handbook covers latent variable models, which are a flexible class of models for modeling multivariate data to explore relationships among observed and latent variables. - Covers a wide class of important models - Models and statistical methods described provide tools for analyzing a wide spectrum of complicated data - Includes illustrative examples with real data sets from business, education, medicine, public health and sociology. - Demonstrates the use of a wide variety of statistical, computational, and mathematical techniques.




Handbook of Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

"This accessible volume presents both the mechanics of structural equation modeling (SEM) and specific SEM strategies and applications. The editor, along with an international group of contributors, and editorial advisory board are leading methodologists who have organized the book to move from simpler material to more statistically complex modeling approaches. Sections cover the foundations of SEM; statistical underpinnings, from assumptions to model modifications; steps in implementation, from data preparation through writing the SEM report; and basic and advanced applications, including new and emerging topics in SEM. Each chapter provides conceptually oriented descriptions, fully explicated analyses, and engaging examples that reveal modeling possibilities for use with readers' data. Many of the chapters also include access to data and syntax files at the companion website, allowing readers to try their hands at reproducing the authors' results"--




Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

Presents a useful guide for applications of SEM whilst systematically demonstrating various SEM models using Mplus Focusing on the conceptual and practical aspects of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this book demonstrates basic concepts and examples of various SEM models, along with updates on many advanced methods, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with categorical items, bifactor model, Bayesian CFA model, item response theory (IRT) model, graded response model (GRM), multiple imputation (MI) of missing values, plausible values of latent variables, moderated mediation model, Bayesian SEM, latent growth modeling (LGM) with individually varying times of observations, dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM), residual dynamic structural equation modeling (RDSEM), testing measurement invariance of instrument with categorical variables, longitudinal latent class analysis (LLCA), latent transition analysis (LTA), growth mixture modeling (GMM) with covariates and distal outcome, manual implementation of the BCH method and the three-step method for mixture modeling, Monte Carlo simulation power analysis for various SEM models, and estimate sample size for latent class analysis (LCA) model. The statistical modeling program Mplus Version 8.2 is featured with all models updated. It provides researchers with a flexible tool that allows them to analyze data with an easy-to-use interface and graphical displays of data and analysis results. Intended as both a teaching resource and a reference guide, and written in non-mathematical terms, Structural Equation Modeling: Applications Using Mplus, 2nd edition provides step-by-step instructions of model specification, estimation, evaluation, and modification. Chapters cover: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA); Structural Equation Models (SEM); SEM for Longitudinal Data; Multi-Group Models; Mixture Models; and Power Analysis and Sample Size Estimate for SEM. Presents a useful reference guide for applications of SEM while systematically demonstrating various advanced SEM models Discusses and demonstrates various SEM models using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data with both continuous and categorical outcomes Provides step-by-step instructions of model specification and estimation, as well as detailed interpretation of Mplus results using real data sets Introduces different methods for sample size estimate and statistical power analysis for SEM Structural Equation Modeling is an excellent book for researchers and graduate students of SEM who want to understand the theory and learn how to build their own SEM models using Mplus.




Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

Sponsored by the American Educational Research Association's Special Interest Group for Educational Statisticians This volume is the second edition of Hancock and Mueller’s highly-successful 2006 volume, with all of the original chapters updated as well as four new chapters. The second edition, like the first, is intended to serve as a didactically-oriented resource for graduate students and research professionals, covering a broad range of advanced topics often not discussed in introductory courses on structural equation modeling (SEM). Such topics are important in furthering the understanding of foundations and assumptions underlying SEM as well as in exploring SEM, as a potential tool to address new types of research questions that might not have arisen during a first course. Chapters focus on the clear explanation and application of topics, rather than on analytical derivations, and contain materials from popular SEM software.




Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling


Book Description

This book has been replaced by Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling, Fifth Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-5191-0.




Meta-Analysis


Book Description

Presents a novel approach to conducting meta-analysis using structural equation modeling. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and meta-analysis are two powerful statistical methods in the educational, social, behavioral, and medical sciences. They are often treated as two unrelated topics in the literature. This book presents a unified framework on analyzing meta-analytic data within the SEM framework, and illustrates how to conduct meta-analysis using the metaSEM package in the R statistical environment. Meta-Analysis: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach begins by introducing the importance of SEM and meta-analysis in answering research questions. Key ideas in meta-analysis and SEM are briefly reviewed, and various meta-analytic models are then introduced and linked to the SEM framework. Fixed-, random-, and mixed-effects models in univariate and multivariate meta-analyses, three-level meta-analysis, and meta-analytic structural equation modeling, are introduced. Advanced topics, such as using restricted maximum likelihood estimation method and handling missing covariates, are also covered. Readers will learn a single framework to apply both meta-analysis and SEM. Examples in R and in Mplus are included. This book will be a valuable resource for statistical and academic researchers and graduate students carrying out meta-analyses, and will also be useful to researchers and statisticians using SEM in biostatistics. Basic knowledge of either SEM or meta-analysis will be helpful in understanding the materials in this book.




Statistical Rethinking


Book Description

Statistical Rethinking: A Bayesian Course with Examples in R and Stan builds readers’ knowledge of and confidence in statistical modeling. Reflecting the need for even minor programming in today’s model-based statistics, the book pushes readers to perform step-by-step calculations that are usually automated. This unique computational approach ensures that readers understand enough of the details to make reasonable choices and interpretations in their own modeling work. The text presents generalized linear multilevel models from a Bayesian perspective, relying on a simple logical interpretation of Bayesian probability and maximum entropy. It covers from the basics of regression to multilevel models. The author also discusses measurement error, missing data, and Gaussian process models for spatial and network autocorrelation. By using complete R code examples throughout, this book provides a practical foundation for performing statistical inference. Designed for both PhD students and seasoned professionals in the natural and social sciences, it prepares them for more advanced or specialized statistical modeling. Web Resource The book is accompanied by an R package (rethinking) that is available on the author’s website and GitHub. The two core functions (map and map2stan) of this package allow a variety of statistical models to be constructed from standard model formulas.