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Article
Evaluating interventions with multimethod data: A structural equation modeling approach
Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal
  • Christian Geiser, Utah State University
  • Claudia Crayen, Freie Universität Berlin
  • Herbert Scheithauer, Freie Universität Berlin
  • Michael Eid, Freie Universität Berlin
Document Type
Article
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Publication Date
10-17-2011
Disciplines
Abstract

In many intervention and evaluation studies, outcome variables are assessed using a multimethod approach comparing multiple groups over time. In this article, we show how evaluation data obtained from a complex multitrait–multimethod–multioccasion–multigroup design can be analyzed with structural equation models. In particular, we show how the structural equation modeling approach can be used to (a) handle ordinal items as indicators, (b) test measurement invariance, and (c) test the means of the latent variables to examine treatment effects. We present an application to data from an evaluation study of an early childhood prevention program. A total of 659 children in intervention and control groups were rated by their parents and teachers on prosocial behavior and relational aggression before and after the program implementation. No mean change in relational aggression was found in either group, whereas an increase in prosocial behavior was found in both groups. Advantages and limitations of the proposed approach are highlighted.

Citation Information
Christian Geiser, Claudia Crayen, Herbert Scheithauer and Michael Eid. "Evaluating interventions with multimethod data: A structural equation modeling approach" Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal Vol. 18 Iss. 4 (2011) p. 497 - 524
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/christian-geiser/29/