Analyzing Categorical Panel Data by Means of Causal Log-linear Models with Latent Variables: An Application to the Change in Youth-Centrism

This paper presents a general approach to the analysis of categorical panel data which is based on using causal log-linear models with latent variables. Like the well-known LISREL model, these models consist of a structural and a measurement part. In the structural part, a system of logit equations is used to explain changes which occur in the dependent variable of interest. An unrestricted or restricted latent class model is used in the measurement part of the model. It is demonstrated that the measurement model can be used to specify discrete variants of latent trait models, such as the Rasch model and the Lord-Birnbaum model. The approach is illustrated by means of an application on youth-centrism. Several measurement models are tested for a scale which is assumed to measure youth-centrism. In addition, the influence of covariates on a person’s initial position and on the transition probabilities between time points is studied.