This book explains in a rigorous, concise and practical manner all the vital components embedded in structural equation modelling. Focusing on R and stata to implement and perform various structural equation models.

"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"--

This book illustrates the ease with which AMOS 4.0 can be used to address research questions that lend themselves to structural equation modeling (SEM). This goal is achieved by: 1) presenting a nonmathematical introduction to the basic concepts and appli.

Researchers often have difficulties collecting enough data to test their hypotheses, either because target groups are small or hard to access, or because data collection entails prohibitive costs. Such obstacles may result in data sets that are too small for the complexity of the statistical model needed to answer the research question. This unique book provides guidelines and tools for implementing solutions to issues that arise in small sample research. Each chapter illustrates statistical methods that allow researchers to apply the optimal statistical model for their research question when the sample is too small. This essential book will enable social and behavioral science researchers to test their hypotheses even when the statistical model required for answering their research question is too complex for the sample sizes they can collect. The statistical models in the book range from the estimation of a population mean to models with latent variables and nested observations, and solutions include both classical and Bayesian methods. All proposed solutions are described in steps researchers can implement with their own data and are accompanied with annotated syntax in R. The methods described in this book will be useful for researchers across the social and behavioral sciences, ranging from medical sciences and epidemiology to psychology, marketing, and economics.

Modeled after Barbara Byrne’s other best-selling structural equation modeling (SEM) books, this practical guide reviews the basic concepts and applications of SEM using Mplus Versions 5 & 6. The author reviews SEM applications based on actual data taken from her own research. Using non-mathematical language, it is written for the novice SEM user. With each application chapter, the author "walks" the reader through all steps involved in testing the SEM model including: an explanation of the issues addressed illustrated and annotated testing of the hypothesized and post hoc models explanation and interpretation of all Mplus input and output files important caveats pertinent to the SEM application under study a description of the data and reference upon which the model was based the corresponding data and syntax files available under "Supplementary Material" below The first two chapters introduce the fundamental concepts of SEM and important basics of the Mplus program. The remaining chapters focus on SEM applications and include a variety of SEM models presented within the context of three sections: Single-group analyses, Multiple-group analyses, and other important topics, the latter of which includes the multitrait-multimethod, latent growth curve, and multilevel models. Intended for researchers, practitioners, and students who use SEM and Mplus, this book is an ideal resource for graduate level courses on SEM taught in psychology, education, business, and other social and health sciences and/or as a supplement for courses on applied statistics, multivariate statistics, intermediate or advanced statistics, and/or research design. Appropriate for those with limited exposure to SEM or Mplus, a prerequisite of basic statistics through regression analysis is recommended.

This is an essential how-to guide on the application of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques with the AMOS software, focusing on the practical applications of both simple and advanced topics. Written in an easy-to-understand conversational style, the book covers everything from data collection and screening to confirmatory factor analysis, structural model analysis, mediation, moderation, and more advanced topics such as mixture modeling, censored date, and non-recursive models. Through step-by-step instructions, screen shots, and suggested guidelines for reporting, Collier cuts through abstract definitional perspectives to give insight on how to actually run analysis. Unlike other SEM books, the examples used will often start in SPSS and then transition to AMOS so that the reader can have full confidence in running the analysis from beginning to end. Best practices are also included on topics like how to determine if your SEM model is formative or reflective, making it not just an explanation of SEM topics, but a guide for researchers on how to develop a strong methodology while studying their respective phenomenon of interest. With a focus on practical applications of both basic and advanced topics, and with detailed work-through examples throughout, this book is ideal for experienced researchers and beginners across the behavioral and social sciences.

The contributors to Best Practices in Quantitative Methods envision quantitative methods in the 21st century, identify the best practices, and, where possible, demonstrate the superiority of their recommendations empirically. Editor Jason W. Osborne designed this book with the goal of providing readers with the most effective, evidence-based, modern quantitative methods and quantitative data analysis across the social and behavioral sciences. The text is divided into five main sections covering select best practices in Measurement, Research Design, Basics of Data Analysis, Quantitative Methods, and Advanced Quantitative Methods. Each chapter contains a current and expansive review of the literature, a case for best practices in terms of method, outcomes, inferences, etc., and broad-ranging examples along with any empirical evidence to show why certain techniques are better. Key Features: Describes important implicit knowledge to readers: The chapters in this volume explain the important details of seemingly mundane aspects of quantitative research, making them accessible to readers and demonstrating why it is important to pay attention to these details. Compares and contrasts analytic techniques: The book examines instances where there are multiple options for doing things, and make recommendations as to what is the "best" choice—or choices, as what is best often depends on the circumstances. Offers new procedures to update and explicate traditional techniques: The featured scholars present and explain new options for data analysis, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the new procedures in depth, describing how to perform them, and demonstrating their use. Intended Audience: Representing the vanguard of research methods for the 21st century, this book is an invaluable resource for graduate students and researchers who want a comprehensive, authoritative resource for practical and sound advice from leading experts in quantitative methods.

The second edition features: a CD with all of the book's Amos, EQS, and LISREL programs and data sets; new chapters on importing data issues related to data editing and on how to report research; an updated introduction to matrix notation and programs that illustrate how to compute these calculations; many more computer program examples and chapter exercises; and increased coverage of factors that affect correlation, the 4-step approach to SEM and hypothesis testing, significance, power, and sample size issues. The new edition's expanded use of applications make this book ideal for advanced students and researchers in psychology, education, business, health care, political science, sociology, and biology. A basic understanding of correlation is assumed and an understanding of the matrices used in SEM models is encouraged.

Growth models are among the core methods for analyzing how and when people change. Discussing both structural equation and multilevel modeling approaches, this book leads readers step by step through applying each model to longitudinal data to answer particular research questions. It demonstrates cutting-edge ways to describe linear and nonlinear change patterns, examine within-person and between-person differences in change, study change in latent variables, identify leading and lagging indicators of change, evaluate co-occurring patterns of change across multiple variables, and more. User-friendly features include real data examples, code (for Mplus or NLMIXED in SAS, and OpenMx or nlme in R), discussion of the output, and interpretation of each model's results. User-Friendly Features *Real, worked-through longitudinal data examples serving as illustrations in each chapter. *Script boxes that provide code for fitting the models to example data and facilitate application to the reader's own data. *"Important Considerations" sections offering caveats, warnings, and recommendations for the use of specific models. *Companion website supplying datasets and syntax for the book's examples, along with additional code in SAS/R for linear mixed-effects modeling.