R help - Jul 2006 - TR: Latent Class Analysis

_____  

De : Pousset [mailto:maud.pousset@noos.fr] 
Envoyé : mardi 4 juillet 2006 18:38
À : 'r-help@stat.math.ethz.ch'
Objet : Latent Class Analysis

 

Hello everybody,

 

I am working on latent class analysis and have already used the ‘R’ function
« lca » (in the e1071 package). I ‘ve got interesting results but I can’t
simply find out the methodology used by this routine : 

1) What kind of model is behind the routine (mixture model? If so, can you
choose among different kind of distributions such as “normal”, “Poisson”,
“binomial”…)

2) What kind of algorithm is used (hierarchical methods? Relocation
methods?)

3) Which criterion allows determining the best model?

In addition, I wonder if it is possible, with R software, to determine the
best number of class or do one have to fix it a priori.

If one can help, thanks a lot,

 

Maud

INSERM U669, Cochin Hospital, Paris

 

 


	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]

> De : Pousset [mailto:maud.pousset w noos.fr]
> Envoyi : mardi 4 juillet 2006 18:38
> @ : 'r-help w stat.math.ethz.ch'
> Objet : Latent Class Analysis
> 
> 
> 
> Hello everybody,
> 
> 
> 
> I am working on latent class analysis and have already used the R
> function
> + lca ; (in the e1071 package). I ve got interesting results but I cant
> simply find out the methodology used by this routine :
> 
> 1) What kind of model is behind the routine (mixture model? If so, can you
> choose among different kind of distributions such as normal, Poisson,
> binomial)
> 
> 2) What kind of algorithm is used (hierarchical methods? Relocation
> methods?)
> 
> 3) Which criterion allows determining the best model?
> 
> In addition, I wonder if it is possible, with R software, to determine the
> best number of class or do one have to fix it a priori.
> 
> If one can help, thanks a lot,
> 
> 
> 
> Maud
> 
> INSERM U669, Cochin Hospital, Paris
> 
> 
> 

You can use package (available at R page) poLCA that has documentation
describing what you want. Look also at http://dlinzer.bol.ucla.edu/poLCA/
As far as you know BIC, AIC (based on chi-sqr and G^2 statistics) and
Cressie-Read allow you to choose the most appropriate model.
Best,
Robert