TY - JOUR
T1 - On the merits of longitudinal multiple group modelling
T2 - an alternative to multilevel modelling for intervention evaluations
AU - Little, Todd D.
AU - Bontempo, Daniel
AU - Rioux, Charlie
AU - Tracy, Allison
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Multilevel modelling (MLM) is the most frequently used approach for evaluating interventions with clustered data. MLM, however, has some limitations that are associated with numerous obstacles to model estimation and valid inferences. Longitudinal multiple-group (LMG) modelling is a longstanding approach for testing intervention effects using cluster-sampled data that has been superseded by the rise of MLM approaches, but the LMG approach can have advantages when research questions do not pertain to predicting variability at the higher levels. In this paper, we first review the advantages and limitations of MLM and LMG approaches. Second, steps in the estimation of an LMG model are presented, with some recent upgrades and changes in the modelling strategy that have particular utility for evaluating interventions. We discuss the advantages of the LMG approach as a guided confirmatory model-testing framework and how the approach places a premium on avoiding Type II errors, particularly when complex interactions are potentially at play.
AB - Multilevel modelling (MLM) is the most frequently used approach for evaluating interventions with clustered data. MLM, however, has some limitations that are associated with numerous obstacles to model estimation and valid inferences. Longitudinal multiple-group (LMG) modelling is a longstanding approach for testing intervention effects using cluster-sampled data that has been superseded by the rise of MLM approaches, but the LMG approach can have advantages when research questions do not pertain to predicting variability at the higher levels. In this paper, we first review the advantages and limitations of MLM and LMG approaches. Second, steps in the estimation of an LMG model are presented, with some recent upgrades and changes in the modelling strategy that have particular utility for evaluating interventions. We discuss the advantages of the LMG approach as a guided confirmatory model-testing framework and how the approach places a premium on avoiding Type II errors, particularly when complex interactions are potentially at play.
KW - Evaluation research
KW - multilevel modelling
KW - multiple group longitudinal modelling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115252576&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1743727X.2021.1973992
DO - 10.1080/1743727X.2021.1973992
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85115252576
SN - 1743-727X
VL - 45
SP - 437
EP - 449
JO - International Journal of Research and Method in Education
JF - International Journal of Research and Method in Education
IS - 5
ER -