Modeling of Psychological Change : Latent Difference Score Model for Three Wave Longitudinal Data

The purposes of this paper were to develop the latent difference score model for three wave longitudinal data and to apply this method to examine the trajectories of two aspects of “the view of learning” in the freshman. Longitudinal data were collected at April, May, and June in the class of introductory psychology. Using simultaneous latent difference score model for two groups of 143 male and 136 female students, the means of factor scores at three waves were estimated. The means of “the acquisitive attitude for credits” were up at June. The trajectory patterns of “the seeking the self-development” were different. These results were discussed with consideration of the methodological issues on longitudinal research