Mixture modeling for lifespan developmental research

As part of the Generalized Structural Equation Modeling framework, mixture models are person-centered analyses seeking to identify distinct subpopulations, or profiles, of participants differing quantitatively and qualitatively from one another on a configuration of indicators and/or relations among these indicators. Mixture models are typological (resulting in a classification system), probabilistic (each participant having a probability of membership into all profiles based on prototypical similarity), and exploratory (the optimal model is typically selected based on a comparison of alternative specifications) in nature, and can take different forms. Latent profile analyses seek to identify subpopulations of participants differing from one another on a configuration of indicators and can be extended to factor mixture analyses allowing for the incorporation of latent factors to the model. In contrast, mixture regression analyses seek to identify subpopulations of participants’ differing from one another in terms of relations among profile indicators. These analyses can be extended to the multiple-group and/or longitudinal analyses, allowing researchers to conduct tests of profile similarity across different samples of participants or time points, and latent transition analyses can be used to assess probabilities of profiles transition over time among a sample of participants (i.e., within person stability and change in profile membership). Finally, growth mixture analyses are built from latent curve models and seek to identify subpopulations of participants following quantitatively and qualitatively distinct trajectories over time. All of these models can accommodate covariates, used either as predictors, correlates, or outcomes, and can even be extended to tests of mediation and moderation

A gentle introduction to mixture modeling using physical fitness performance data

This chapter provides a non-technical introduction to mixture modeling for sport and exercise sciences researchers. Although this method has been around for quite some time, it is still underutilized in sport and exercise research. The data set used for this illustration consists of a sample of 10,000 students who annually completed physical fitness tests for 7 years in Singapore. First, we illustrate latent profile analyses (LPA). Next, we illustrate how to include covariates in LPA and how to test the invariance of LPA solutions across groups, as well as over time using latent transition analyses. Following that, we illustrate the estimation of mixture regression models to identify subgroups of participants differing from one another at the levels of the relations among constructs. Finally, a growth mixture modeling example is shown to identify subgroups of participants following distinct longitudinal trajectories

Cross-linguistic validity of the French and Dutch versions of the very short form of the physical self-inventory among adolescents

The study tested the cross-linguistic validity of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) among 1,115 Flemish (Dutch version) adolescents, and a comparison sample of 1,103 French adolescents (French version; from Morin & Maïano, 2011). Flemish adolescents also completed a positively worded reformulation of the reverse-keyed item of the physical attractiveness (PA) subscale. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported the factor validity and reliability (except for the Dutch PA subscale) of the PSI-VS, and its partial measurement invariance across samples. CFA conducted on the modified version of the Dutch PSI-VS (11 original items plus the positively-worded replacement), presented satisfactory reliability (ω = .67-.89), and was fully invariant across sexes, age groups, and body mass index categories. Additionally, results revealed latent mean differences across sexes and body mass index categories. Therefore, the modified Dutch PSI-VS can be used whenever there is a need for a very short physical self-concept questionnaire

Közművelődési jelenségek és jelentések. Az ÁMK

Many classroom climate studies suffer from 2 critical problems: They (a) treat climate as a student-level (L1) variable in single-level analyses instead of a classroom-level (L2) construct in multilevel analyses; and (b) rely on manifest-variable models rather than on latent-variable models that control measurement error at L1 and L2, and sampling error in the aggregation of L1 ratings to form L2 constructs. On the basis of an analysis of 2,541 students in Grades 5 or 6 from 89 classrooms, the authors demonstrate doubly latent multilevel structural equation models that overcome both of these problems. The results show that L2 classroom climate (a higher-order factor representing classroom mastery goal orientation, challenge, and teacher caring) had positive effects on self-efficacy and achievement. The authors conclude with a discussion of related issues (e.g., the meaning of L2 constructs vs. L1 residuals, the dimensionality of climate constructs at L2) and guidelines for future research

Employee Commitment Before and After an Economic Crisis: A Stringent Test of Profile Similarity

Researchers have recently begun to take a person-centered (profile) approach to investigate how the affective, normative, and continuance commitment mindsets combine within the three-component model of organizational commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1991). The meaningfulness of the profiles identified in this research depends, in part, on evidence that similar profiles emerge across samples, particularly those drawn for a common population. We conducted a particularly stringent test of similarity by comparing profiles for samples of employees drawn from a large Turkish conglomerate prior to (N = 346) and following (N = 797) a major economic crisis. Using procedures recently introduced by Morin et al. (2016), we found similarity in the number (seven) and structure of the profiles before and after the crisis; only the distribution of individuals across profiles (i.e., the relative size of the profiles) differed. We also found similarity in the patterns of relations with theoretical antecedent, correlate, and outcome variables, suggesting that a common set of principles might be operating regardless of major differences in the work environment. In addition to providing strong evidence for the meaningfulness of commitment profiles, this study is one of the first to investigate the impact of an economic crisis on employee commitment

Relations between classroom disciplinary problems and student motivation : Achievement as a potential mediator?

This study examined the relation between classroom disciplinary problems in language classes, student achievement, and three facets of student motivation: competence self-perceptions, test anxiety, and engagement. The analyses were conducted with the German sample from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 (N = 7899). The results demonstrated that discipline problems are directly and negatively related to achievement and to all motivation constructs considered. In most cases, the relation between classroom disciplinary problems and motivation constructs was mediated by verbal achievement. Boys were found to report more frequent discipline problems in classrooms than girls. This study contributes to research by assessing the impact of classroom disciplinary problems using doubly latent multilevel structural equation models in order to properly disaggregate effects occurring at the student, versus classroom level

Generalizability of achievement goal profiles across five cultural groups : more similarities than differences

Previous results have shown possible cultural differences in students’ achievement goals endorsement and in their relations with various predictors and outcomes. In this person-centered study, we sought to identify achievement goal profiles and to assess the extent to which these configurations and their associations with predictors and outcomes generalize across cultures. We used a new statistical approach to assess latent profile similarities across adolescents from five cultural backgrounds (N = 2643, including Non-Indigenous Australians, Indigenous Australians, Indigenous American, Middle Easterners, and Asians). Our results supported the cross-cultural generalizability of the profiles, their predictors, and their outcomes. Five similar profiles were identified in each cultural group, but their relative frequency differed across cultures. The results revealed advantages of exploring multidimensional goal profiles

Dual Commitment to Organization and Supervisor: A Person-centered Approach

A recent trend in commitment research has been to use person-centered analytic strategies to identify homogeneous subgroups with varying configurations of commitment mindsets (affective, normative, continuance) or targets (e.g., organization, supervisor, team). A person-centered approach takes a more holistic perspective than the traditional variable-centered approach and can reflect potentially complex interactions among commitment mindsets and/or targets. We extend application of the person-centered approach to investigate profiles of commitment to two interrelated targets, the organization and supervisor, in two studies (Ns = 481 and 264) involving Belgian university graduates. Using latent profile analyses, we found that a similar 5-profile model fit best in both studies. The mindset pattern for the two targets was similar for some profile groups, but differed for others. The groups differed on perceived organizational and supervisory support and voluntary turnover largely as expected from commitment and support theory. Implications for future research and management practice are discussed

Reciprocal Associations between Burnout and Depression : An 8-Year Longitudinal Study

The purpose of the present four-wave longitudinal study was to examine the differentiation and reciprocal associations between burnout and depression, and their associations with a series of correlates related to employees' physical and psychological health (sleep disturbances, somatic symptoms, self-rated subjective health, and life satisfaction). A total of 542 early career Finnish workers filled out questionnaires four times over a period of 8 years. First, our results supported the superiority of a bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM) representation of employees' burnout ratings, and the empirical differentiation between burnout and depression ratings over each measurement occasion. These results further revealed moderate cross-sectional associations between burnout and depression, supporting their inter-related character but also their empirical distinctiveness. Second, autoregressive cross-lagged analyses revealed that both constructs presented a moderate level of stability over time and reciprocal associations that generalized to all time intervals considered. Finally, relations between depression and all correlates measures during the last wave of the study were in the expected direction, whereas burnout was found to be more weakly related to only a subset of these correlates. Taken together, these results thus support the distinctiveness of burnout and depression, and the presence of mutually reinforcing relations between them.Peer reviewe

Physical self-concept changes in a selective sport high school : A longitudinal cohort-sequence analysis of the big-fish-little-pond effect

Elite athletes and nonathletes (N = 1,268) attending the same selective sport high school (4 high school age cohorts, grades 7-10, mean ages varying from 10.9 to 14.1) completed the same physical self-concept instrument 4 times over a 2-year period (multiple waves). We introduce a latent cohort-sequence analysis that provides a stronger basis for assessing developmental stability/change than either cross-sectional (multicohort, single occasion) or longitudinal (single-cohort, multiple occasion) designs, allowing us to evaluate latent means across 10 waves spanning a 5-year period (grades 7-11), although each participant contributed data for only 4 waves, spanning 2 of the 5 years. Consistent with the frame-of-reference effects embodied in the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE), physical self-concepts at the start of high school were much higher for elite athletes than for nonathlete classmates, but the differences declined over time so that by the end of high school there were no differences in the 2 groups. Gender differences in favor of males had a negative linear and quadratic trajectory over time, but the consistently smaller gender differences for athletes than for nonathletes did not vary with time