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: estimating AR1 parameters of level one error using lme

1 message · Viechtbauer Wolfgang (STAT)

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It is certainly possible to have a model with random intercepts and slopes (for time) and also AR(1) correlated residuals over time within individuals. The random slopes model differences in the trend between individuals, while the AR(1) structure models how the residuals are fluctuating around the person-specific slopes within individuals. Of course, you need to have a sufficient number of follow-up measurements within individuals to distinguish those two elements. But this is certainly possible. And in fact, ignoring serial correlation in the residuals when it is present could lead to inflated Type I error rates for the mean trend effect.

Best,
Wolfgang