“It is rare for a scholar or a teacher to simultaneously demonstrate wisdom, erudition, vision for the future of the field, and the capacity to explain complex ideas and methods to beginners, while also advancing the skill sets of seasoned researchers. Yet these valued attributes are all found in abundance in this volume. This is more than a book about longitudinal SEM; it is a guide to understanding and conducting good science. If any book can be identified as a classic on publication, this one certainly can.”

—Richard M. Lerner, PhD, Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science, and Director, Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University


“Novices and experts alike will learn something new from this book. Little is a born teacher, and it shows in his writing. His approach assumes little background knowledge and provides an entrée to the literature for students and researchers who want to know more. Examples from Little's experience as an applied researcher make the concepts concrete and accessible. This is an ideal text to accompany graduate courses on SEM or longitudinal data analysis and a useful reference for researchers who want to add longitudinal SEM to their methodological toolboxes.”

—Kristopher J. Preacher, PhD, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University


“Little has used his gifts as a researcher, teacher, and writer to create a wonderfully accessible volume that will benefit applied researchers and graduate students alike. Each chapter is complete with highly readable explanations, fresh and interesting examples drawn from the author's own considerable experience, beautifully detailed figures, practical modeling tips and tricks, and extensive supporting materials on the Web, all woven together with welcome doses of humor and personality.”

—Gregory R. Hancock, PhD, Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland


“Little leads readers through a thoughtful and pragmatic approach to SEM by explaining how to think about longitudinal designs, weigh modeling options, and make informed decisions. Developed in both conceptual and technical terms, and illustrated with social science examples, this book is particularly suited to those who follow words and sentences more easily than they track symbols and mathematical operators.”

—Melissa Hardy, PhD, Department of Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University