Principles and Applications of Latent Class Analysis in Psychological Research

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of latent class analysis (LCA) and its utility in contemporary psychological research. Rather than focussing on the statistical and mathematical underpinnings of this method of analysis, a non-technical presentation of conceptual issues is offered. The paper therefore concentrates firstly on a description of the technique, and secondly, on where and why a psychologist may want to use LCA. A worked example of how this technique can be applied to contemporary research questions, with specific regard to the structure of psychiatric disorders in population samples follows, and finally, information in relation to software requirements, and some examples from the research literature are presented.