There are two kinds of diagnostic models used in psychological research. A categorical model is used most commonly, but dimensional models have also been studied (Skinner, 1979; Strauss, 1973). When developing or using a model, it is important to determine when the model is appropriate for a particular setting. Unfortunately, methods for carrying out this kind of evaluation are only applied infrequently, particularly with categorical models. This paper reviews the importance of evaluating diagnostic models, and empasizes a Bayesian method for evaluating categorical models. An illustration of the method with previously published data is given.
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