Effect Comparison in Nonlinear Dyadic Mixed-effects Models between Equations

• In Event: 321 - Regular Session. Methodology, Quantitative

Abstract

This study discusses difficulties of effect comparisons between equations in multilevel structural equation models with non-metric outcomes, such as nonlinear dyadic mixed-effects regression. In these models, the fixation of the level-1 error variances induces substantial drawbacks in the context of effect comparisons which align with the well-known problems of standard single and multilevel nonlinear models. Specifically, the level-1 and level-2 coefficients as well as the level-2 variance components are implicitly rescaled by the amount of unobserved level-1 residual variation and thus may apparently differ across equations despite of true effect equality. Against this background, the present study discusses a multilevel extension of the method proposed by Sobel and Arminger (1992) with which potential differences in level-1 residual variation can be taken into account within the imposed equality restrictions through the specification of non-linear parameter constraints. In this context, the advantages as well as limitations of the proposed technique will be exemplified within an empirical investigation of dyadic decision-making processes on regional mobility.

Authors

• Christoph Kern, University of Duisburg-Essen

• Petra Stein, University of Duisburg-Essen