Analysis of longitudinal studies with missing data using covariance structure modeling with full-information maximum likelihood

A didactic discussion of covariance structure modeling in longitudinal studies with missing data is presented. Use of the full-information maximum likelihood method is considered for model fitting, parameter estimation, and hypothesis testing purposes, particularly when interested in patterns of temporal change as well as its covariates and predictors. The approach is illustrated with an application of the popular level-and-shape model to data from a cognitive intervention study of elderly adults.