Visualizing Latent Class Models with Analysis-of-distance BIPLOTS

Abstract

The authors propose using categorical analysis-of-distance biplots to visualize the posterior classifications arising from a latent class (LC) model. Using this multivariate plot, it is possible to visualize in two (or three) dimensions the profile of multiple LCs, specifically both the within- and between-class variation, and the overlap or separation of the classes together with the class weights. Furthermore, visualization of the relative density of each of the data patterns associated with a class is possible. The authors illustrate this approach with real data examples of LC models with three and more classes.