Introduction to Latent Profile Analysis

A hands-on and non-technical introduction to latent profile analysis, which is used in the social, behavioral, and medical sciences to identify unobserved subgroups. Designed to help you understand why, when, and how to conduct LPA!

Instructor:
Sara K. Johnson, PhD (Tufts University)

⚠️ Workshop Format: ⚠️
Three-Day Asynchronous Workshop with Office Hours

Workshop Videos Released:
Sunday, June 1, 2025

Optional Office Hours/Discussion Meetings:
Monday, June 30, 2025 at 4:00pm-5:00pm EDT
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 3:00pm-4:00pm EDT
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 1:00pm-2:00pm EDT

Many researchers are interested in identifying groups of people who share similarities based on a set of beliefs, behaviors, or attitudes (e.g., parenting styles captured by warmth and monitoring). These types of research questions pose analysis challenges because the subgroups cannot be captured directly with a single question but instead must be inferred from multiple pieces of information (in other words, group membership is latent). Mixture models (a group of statistical analyses) can be used in these situations because they are designed to investigate latent subgroups. These models have become quite popular in the social and behavioral sciences but are less frequently included in statistical coursework compared to other techniques (e.g., multiple regression, factor analyses).

This workshop introduces latent profile analysis (LPA), which is a specific type of mixture modeling technique for groups of variables that are measured on a continuous (or approximately continuous) scale. It is designed for attendees who have not previously conducted analyses involving any type of mixture model. The workshop introduces foundational aspects of LPA in a non-technical way, including 1. conceptual foundations and developing suitable research questions; 2. data requirements, including planning for data collection or evaluating the suitability of previously collected data; 3. conducting analyses, with step-by-step practice; and communicating results through text and visuals. The workshop also includes a small amount of introductory information on LPA extensions, including relating profile membership to other variables as predictors or outcomes. The concepts and procedures of LPA will be illustrated using a simulated data set about a popular young adult book series.

Registered learners will receive access to the lecture recordings (approximately 15 hours of content) and associated materials (worksheets and self-test activities, downloadable slideshows, example data files, example syntax files, and more) as well as the passcode to attend the optional synchronous question and discussion sessions held on Zoom.

Syllabus

  • Conceptual Background

    • When an LPA approach is (and is not) appropriate

    • The kinds of research questions that LPA can (and cannot) address

  • Data Requirements

    • Sufficient sample sizes

    • The role of statistical power

    • The number and type of variables needed

  • Data Evaluation and Preparation

    • Dealing with missing data

    • The role of item distributions

    • The role of inter-item correlations

  • Conducting Analyses

    • Iterative model testing procedures

    • Different types of within-profile variance-covariance matrixes

    • Efficient tracking of model information

    • Decision-making processes for choosing the final profile model

  • Presenting Results

    • Visual and text-based options for presenting results

    • The kinds of information to include in a manuscript

    • The kinds of information to include in an appendix

  • Extensions of Latent Profile Analysis

    • Adding predictors of profile membership

    • Testing for differences in outcome variables between profile groups

    • Latent profile analysis equivalents of measurement invariance testing

Registration Options

Introduction to Latent Profile Analysis

  • Professional
  • $674
  • Baseline Price for Faculty,
    Staff, and Other Professionals
  • Click Register Below
  • Trainee
  • $674 $452
  • 33% Discount for
    Students and Postdocs
  • Use code "TRAINEE" at Checkout

Combo 1: Introduction to Latent Profile Analysis + Introduction to Latent Profile Transition Analysis

  • Professional
  • $1348 $1078
  • Baseline Price for Faculty,
    Staff, and Other Professionals
  • 20% Combination Discount
  • Click Register Below
  • Trainee
  • $1078 $723
  • 33% Discount for
    Students and Postdocs
  • 20% Combination Discount
  • Use code "TRAINEE" at Checkout

 FAQs

  • This workshop is designed for researchers in the social, behavioral, and medical sciences who have some experience with statistical analysis but no specific background in LPA or other types of mixture models. The material focuses on conceptual and pragmatic aspects of latent profile analyses rather than statistical technicalities. Accordingly, this workshop is appropriate for faculty, graduate students, and advanced undergraduate students with sufficient prior general knowledge.

  • Intermediate; no knowledge of LPA is required but attendees need some background in foundational statistical concepts.

  • This workshop assumes that attendees have no prior knowledge of or experience with latent profile analysis. It does, however, assume that attendees have mastered foundational statistical concepts up to and including multiple regression. Some familiarity with concepts of latent variable models and general model specification, estimation, and comparison procedures is helpful but not required. Attendees are assumed to have basic computing skills such as the ability to download and manage (e.g., copy and paste) files, install and run software, and use a web browser to access workshop materials.

  • Analyses will be demonstrated in Mplus, and input and output files will be available for Mplus as well. A subset of the models discussed (but not all of them) can be estimated in other software (such as Latent Gold, SAS, or R), and suggestions on how to adapt course materials to those software programs will be given.

  • Registered learners will have access to the lecture recordings (approximately 15 hours of content) and associated materials (worksheets and self-test activities, downloadable slideshows, example data files, example syntax files, and more) as well as the passcode to attend the optional synchronous question and discussion sessions held on Zoom.