Modelling correlation matrices in multivariate data, with application to reciprocity and complementarity of child-parent exchanges of support

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

December 15, 2024

Summary:

We define a model for the joint distribution of multiple continuous latent variables, which includes a model for how their correlations depend on explanatory variables. This is motivated by and applied to social scientific research questions in the analysis of intergenerational help and support within families, where the correlations describe reciprocity of help between generations and complementarity of different kinds of help. We propose an MCMC procedure for estimating the model which maintains the positive definiteness of the implied correlation matrices and describe theoretical results which justify this approach and facilitate efficient implementation of it. The model is applied to data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study to analyse exchanges of practical and financial support between adult individuals and their noncoresident parents.

Published in

Annals of Applied Statistics

Volume and page numbers

Volume: 18 , p.3 -3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1214/24-AOAS1921

ISSN

19326157

Subjects

Notes

Open Access

A CC BY 4.0 license is applied to this article arising from this submission, in accordance with the grant’s open access conditions.

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