A Guide to Specifying Effects in Latent Change Score Models with Moderated Mediation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35566/jbds/orourkeKeywords:
Latent Change, Mediation, Moderation, Moderated Mediation, Conditional Indirect EffectsAbstract
Latent change score (LCS) models are discrete-time longitudinal models that concurrently investigate growth over time and dynamic (lagged) relations among variables. Bivariate LCS models can be extended to multivariate scenarios with mediators and moderators, and mediation paths can be constrained or freely estimated across time. We provide a decision-making guide for model specification based on variable scale of measurement and hypothesized change processes. We then simulate two examples to illustrate how LCS models can be specified to estimate moderated mediation effects where the indirect effect from mediation is conditional upon values of the time-invariant moderator. We provide simulated data and annotated Mplus and R lavaan code.
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