On Fitting a Multivariate Two-Part Latent Growth Model

Abstract

A 2-part latent growth model can be used to analyze semicontinuous data to simultaneously study change in the probability that an individual engages in a behavior, and if engaged, change in the behavior. This article uses a Monte Carlo (MC) integration algorithm to study the interrelationships between the growth factors of 2 variables measured longitudinally where each variable can follow a 2-part latent growth model. A SAS macro implementing Mplus is developed to estimate the model to take into account the sampling uncertainty of this simulation-based computational approach. A sample of time-use data is used to show how maximum likelihood estimates can be obtained using a rectangular numerical integration method and an MC integration method.

Keywords:

• longitudinal semicontinuous variables
• Monte Carlo integration
• multivariate two-part latent growth curve model

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was supported in part by the William T. Grant Foundation (200601036).