In the introduction we give a brief characterization of the usual measures for indicating the quality of diagnostic procedures (sensitivity, specificity and predictive value) and we refer to their relationship to parameters of the latent class model. Different variants of latent class analysis (LCA) for dichotomous data are described in the following: the basic (unconstrained) model, models with parameters fixed to given values and with equality constraints on parameters, multigroup LCA including mixed-group validation, and linear logistic LCA including its relationship to the Rasch model and to the measurement of change in latent subgroups. The problem with the identifiability of latent class models and the possibilities for statistically testing their fit are outlined. The second part refers to latent class models for polytomous data. Special attention is paid to simple variants having fixed and/or equated parameters and to log-linear extension of LCA with its possibility for including on the latent level. Several examples are presented to illustrate typical applications of the model. The paper ends with some warnings that should be taken into consideration by potential users of LCA.
The linear logistic test model (LLTM), a Rasch model with linear constraints on the item parameters, is described. Three methods of parameter estimation are dealt with, giving special consideration to the conditional maximum likelihood approach, which provides a basis for the testing of structural hypotheses regarding item difficulty. Standard areas of application of the LLTM are surveyed, including many references to empirical studies in
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