Dynamical Properties and Conceptual Interpretation of Latent Change Score Models

Pablo F Cáncer; Eduardo Estrada; Mar J F Ollero; Emilio Ferrer

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.696419

Dynamical Properties and Conceptual Interpretation of Latent Change Score Models

Front Psychol. 2021 Jul 29:12:696419. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.696419. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Pablo F Cáncer¹, Eduardo Estrada¹, Mar J F Ollero¹, Emilio Ferrer²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social Psychology and Methodology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
² Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.

Abstract

Latent Change Score models (LCS) are a popular tool for the study of dynamics in longitudinal research. They represent processes in which the short-term dynamics have direct and indirect consequences on the long-term behavior of the system. However, this dual interpretation of the model parameters is usually overlooked in the literature, and researchers often find it difficult to see the connection between parameters and specific patterns of change. The goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive examination of the meaning and interpretation of the parameters in LCS models. Importantly, we focus on their relation to the shape of the trajectories and explain how different specifications of the LCS model involve particular assumptions about the mechanisms of change. On a supplementary website, we present an interactive Shiny App that allows users to explore different sets of parameter values and examine their effects on the predicted trajectories. We also include fully explained code to estimate some of the most relevant specifications of the LCS model with the R-packages lavaan and OpenMx.

Keywords: developmental trajectories; dynamic models; latent change score models; longitudinal data analysis; structural equation models; theory of change.