Rights statement: The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 79 (2), 2019, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Educational and Psychological Measurement page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/epm on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of sample size on the estimation of regression mixture models
AU - Jaki, Thomas Friedrich
AU - Kim, Minjung
AU - Lamont, Andrea E.
AU - George, M.
AU - Feaster, Daniel
AU - Van Horn, M. Lee
N1 - The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 79 (2), 2019, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2019 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Educational and Psychological Measurement page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/epm on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/
PY - 2019/4/1
Y1 - 2019/4/1
N2 - Regression mixture models are a statistical approach used for estimating heterogeneity in effects. This study investigates the impact of sample size on regression mixture’s ability to produce “stable” results. Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of resamples from an application data set were used to illustrate the types of problems that may occur with small samples in real data sets. The results suggest that (a) when class separation is low, very large sample sizes may be needed to obtain stable results; (b) it may often be necessary to consider a preponderance of evidence in latent class enumeration; (c) regression mixtures with ordinal outcomes result in even more instability; and (d) with small samples, it is possible to obtain spurious results without any clear indication of there being a problem.
AB - Regression mixture models are a statistical approach used for estimating heterogeneity in effects. This study investigates the impact of sample size on regression mixture’s ability to produce “stable” results. Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of resamples from an application data set were used to illustrate the types of problems that may occur with small samples in real data sets. The results suggest that (a) when class separation is low, very large sample sizes may be needed to obtain stable results; (b) it may often be necessary to consider a preponderance of evidence in latent class enumeration; (c) regression mixtures with ordinal outcomes result in even more instability; and (d) with small samples, it is possible to obtain spurious results without any clear indication of there being a problem.
U2 - 10.1177/0013164418791673
DO - 10.1177/0013164418791673
M3 - Journal article
VL - 79
SP - 358
EP - 384
JO - Educational and Psychological Measurement
JF - Educational and Psychological Measurement
SN - 0013-1644
IS - 2
ER -