Analysis of group composition in multimember multigroup data

Abstract

Data from groups often have a multimember multigroup (MMMG) structure. Examples are two-parent families with a female or male child (three members, two groups), two same-gender and opposite-gender peers of different status (two members, four groups), or gay, lesbian, and heterosexual couples (two members, three groups). To analyze such data, a framework called MMMG actor-partner interdependence model (MMMG APIM) is presented considering group composition. Three models are discussed in detail: the three-member two-group APIM, the two-member four-group APIM, and the two-member three-group APIM. Structural equation modeling and cross-sectional and longitudinal data are used to illustrate the approach. To ease the interpretation of APIM findings, a proposal of a general classification scheme is made.

Parental Attachment, Adult-Child Romantic Attachment, and Marital Satisfaction: An Examination of Cultural Context in Taiwanese and Thai Heterosexual Couples

“…The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) would be the appropriate approach to dyadic data. However, our research goals of investigating cultural differences and intergenerational attachment required data sets with larger sample sizes, from both countries in order to conduct the two-member-two-group actor-partner interdependence mediated model (2M2G APIM [42]); we need to use SEM with perceived parental anxiety and avoidance attachment from husbands and wives as the exogenous variables, perceived romantic anxiety and avoidance attachment from husbands and wives as the mediators, and husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction as the outcome variables. The existing sample sizes were insufficient to estimate the parameters, considering the complexity of the proposed APIM.…”

Family Matters: Decade Review from Journal of Family and Economic Issues

“…While we do not intend to diminish the value of any of these studies, it is important for future research to investigate similar research questions with dyadic and family-level data. Increasing the utilization of actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) and multimember multigroup APIMs may be instrumental in furthering our understanding (Ledermann et al 2017 ).…”

Capturing Family Complexity in Family Nursing Research and Practice

“…Both approaches generally result in similar statistical estimates, though there is evidence that a structural equation modeling approach has some advantages in better accounting for measurement error (Hong & Kim, 2019). Recent innovations, such as the multimember multigroup APIM, extend the APIM approach to allow for equivalent analyses with triads and larger interrelated constellations of family members, and, similar to the multigroup analyses discussed before, evaluate variations within subsamples (Ledermann et al, 2017). One challenge in APIM-based analyses is that though they model dyadic (or systematic) interactions, there are no variables within the model that represent collective "dyad" or "family" characteristics based on the variable reports from each individual (Kenny, 2018).…”