Analytical challenges of testing hypotheses of agreement and discrepancy

Comment on Campione-Barr, Lindell, and Giron (2020)

Bibliographic Data

ID17869258
AuthorsRobert D Laird (0000-0002-8336-2263, University of Alabama, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume56
Issue5
Pages970-977
Publication date2020-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/dev0000763
PMID32271076
OpenAlexW3015519494
LanguageEN
Citations received7

Researchers are often inclined to test agreement or discrepancy hypotheses using difference scores. This commentary explains 2 mathematical-statistical principles underlying associations with difference scores and 2 conceptual-interpretation problems that make difference scores inappropriate for testing such hypotheses. The commentary provides examples of valid and invalid interpretations of difference score associations in reference to equivalent models. The commentary recommends testing agreement hypotheses using interaction terms and explains how to do so. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Developmental psychology · Interpretation (philosophy) · MEDLINE · PsycINFO · Significant difference · Statistical hypothesis testing · Statistics · Test (biology) · Clinical Psychology · Psychology · Psychometric Methodologies and Testing · Reliability and Agreement in Measurement

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