G. FITZMAURICE, M. DAVIDIAN, G. VERBEKE & G. MOLENBERGHS (eds) (2008) Longitudinal Data Analysis: A Handbook of Modern Statistical Methods.

PSYCHOMETRIKAVOL. 77, NO. 2, 423424

APRIL 2012

DOI: 10.1007/S11336-012-9250-Z

BOOK REVIEW

G. FITZMAURICE, M. DAVIDIAN, G. VERBEKE & G. MOLENBERGHS (eds) (2008) Longitudinal Data Analysis: A Handbook of Modern Statistical Methods. Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC. 632 pages. US$89.95. ISBN: 978-1584886587

As indicated in the preface, this book relates longitudinal data analysis to a broad range of elds including social and behavioral sciences, health and biological sciences, education and economics. Such breadth is important because it helps readers to see applications of longitudinal data analysis that may otherwise be overlooked. This book is not intended as an introduction to longitudinal data analysis, but rather as a discussion of contemporary and advanced research topics in longitudinal data analysis. Thus, it would be especially useful for advanced graduate students seeking out a line of research, as well as early career researchers exploring new avenues in longitudinal data.

Resources for the book, including data and program syntax, are provided in text and online (http://www.biostat.harvard.edu/~fitzmaur/lda

Web End =http://www.biostat.harvard.edu/~tzmaur/lda ). These supplements provide practice with newly established methodologies and offer a medium for group discussion on research areas in longitudinal data analysis.

This book consists of ve parts: I. Introduction and historical overview (Chapter 1); II. Parametric modeling of longitudinal data (Chapters 27); III. Non-parametric and semi-parametric methods for longitudinal data (Chapters 812); IV. Joint models of longitudinal data (Chapters 1316); and V. Incomplete data (Chapters 1723). Each part begins with an introduction and overview chapter, which helps readers identify the important concepts. Subsequent chapters are well...