Alternative methods for the quantitative analysis of panel data in family research: Pooled time-series models

This article examines quantitative panel analysis techniques appropriate for situations in which the researcher models determinants of change in continuous outcomes. One set of techniques, based on the analysis of pooled lime-series data sets, has received little attention in the family literature, although there are a number of situations where these techniques would be appropriate, such as the analysis of multiple-wave panel data. The article explores the fixed effect (change-score) and random effects models based on pooled time-series data and discusses their advantages and disadvantages for the analysis of survey panel data compared with other available approaches. An empirical example of these methods is presented in which the effect of marital duration and number of children on spousal interaction in intact marriages was examined in a four-wave panel sample.