Growth Mixture Modeling
- 6 July 2007
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Organizational Research Methods
- Vol. 10 (4), 635-656
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428106289397
Abstract
An important limitation of conventional latent-growth modeling (LGM) is that it assumes that all individuals are drawn from one or more observed populations. However, in many applied-research situations, unobserved subpopulations may exist, and their different latent trajectories may be the focus of research to test theory or to resolve inconsistent prior research findings. Conventional LGM does not help to identify and predict these unobserved subpopulations. This article introduces the growth-mixture modeling (GMM) method for these purposes. Given that GMM handles longitudinal data (i.e., nesting of time observations within individuals) and identifies unobserved subpopulations (i.e., the nesting of individuals within latent classes), GMM can be construed as a multilevel modeling technique. The modeling procedure of GMM is illustrated on a simulated data set. Steps in the modeling process are highlighted and limitations, cautions, recommendations, and extensions of using GMM are discussed. Technical references for additional information are noted throughout.Keywords
This publication has 36 references indexed in Scilit:
- The temporal factor of change in stressor–strain relationships: A growth curve model on a longitudinal study in East Germany.Journal of Applied Psychology, 2000
- Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternativesStructural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 1999
- THE SUBSTANTIVE NATURE OF PERFORMANCE VARIABILITY: PREDICTING INTERINDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN INTRAINDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCEPersonnel Psychology, 1998
- The Conceptualization and Analysis of Change Over Time: An Integrative Approach Incorporating Longitudinal Mean and Covariance Structures Analysis (LMACS) and Multiple Indicator Latent Growth Modeling (MLGM)Organizational Research Methods, 1998
- Gender and Life Satisfaction in Retirement: An Assessment of the Male ModelThe Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 1996
- Cross-Cultural Training Effectiveness: A Review and a Theoretical Framework for Future ResearchAcademy of Management Review, 1990
- Is the Relationship Between Cognitive Ability and Job Performance Stable Over Time?Human Performance, 1989
- Goodness-of-fit indexes in confirmatory factor analysis: The effect of sample size.Psychological Bulletin, 1988
- Estimating the Dimension of a ModelThe Annals of Statistics, 1978
- A new look at the statistical model identificationIEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 1974