Latent class and discrete latent trait models

the long version

The standard latent class model has been popular among social scientists as an instrument for data reduction, as a flexible tool for analyzing structural relationships between categorical variables, and as a natural extension of the log-linear model in order to take measurement error into account. Among behavioral scientists, latent trait models have been proposed as the preferable psychometric tools for measuring abilities in such a way that characteristics of items and individuals could be studied separately. What, however, are the similarities and differences between the latent class model and latent trait models? Through a careful examination of these issues, author Ton Heinen explores such topics as how to estimate the parameters of latent class analysis models and latent trait models as well as the methods for model selection and ways to examine the correspondence between discrete latent trait models and certain restricted latent class models. In addition, he reviews log-linear models, latent trait models, and a number of restricted latent class models in detail as well as for the estimation of parameters for these models.