Statistical and Substantive Checking in Growth Mixture Modeling: Comment on Bauer and Curran (2003)

This commentary discusses the D. J. Bauer and P. J. Curran (2003) investigation of growth mixture modeling. Single-class modeling of nonnormal outcomes is compared with modeling with multiple latent trajectory classes. New statistical tests of multiple-class models are discussed. Principles for substantive investigation of growth mixture model results are presented and illustrated by an example of high school dropout predicted by low mathematics achievement development in Grades 7-10.