A class of Item Response Theory (IRT) models for binary and ordinal polytomous items is illustrated and an R package for dealing with these models, named MultiLCIRT, is described. The models at issue extend traditional IRT models allowing for multidimensionality and discreteness of latent...

Computational aspects concerning a model for clustered binary panel data are analysed. The model is based on the representation of the behavior of a subject (individual panel member) in a given cluster by means of a latent process that is decomposed into a cluster-specific component, which...

We provide a comprehensive overview of latent Markov (LM) models for the analysis of longitudinal data. The main assumption behind these models is that the response variables are conditionally independent given a latent process which follows a first-order Markov chain. We first illustrate the...

In the context of multilevel longitudinal data, where sample units are collected in clusters, an important aspect that should be accounted for is the unobserved heterogeneity between sample units and between clusters. For this aim we propose an approach based on nested hidden (latent) Markov...

A three-step approach is proposed to estimate latent Markov (LM) models for longitudinal data with and without covariates. The approach is based on a preliminary clustering of sample units on the basis of time-specific responses only, and is particularly useful when a large number of response...