Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling using Mplus

These course materials are part of the course Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling using Mplus (S20). It is a five-day summer school course hosted by Utrecht University’s department of Methodology and Statistics. The main objective is to learn how to analyze several models with Mplus (e.g. path models, multiple group models, mediation and moderation, confirmatory factor analysis, and longitudinal models). More in-depth lectures on the fundamentals of Mplus and advanced longitudinal models are discussed in the advanced course (S23).

Using the menu on the left, you can navigate to the exercises of each day.

Help and Resources: IT-Related Issues

This video explains how you can start up Mplus using SolisWorkspace (SWS), and access files on your local computer. In case you run into IT-related issues, we have listed some useful resources below.

SolisWorkspace

If you do not have Mplus installed locally on your computer, you will be able to use Mplus for the duration of the summer school via SolisWorkspace (SWS). For this, you need to install both SWS (including the Citrix Receiver app), and set up two-factor authentication (2FA):

SWS

• You can find the manuals for installing SWS on Windows, MacOS and Linux at https://manuals.uu.nl/en/a-z/?_categorie=applications&_tags=Solisworkspace.
• Solutions to common issues with SWS are described at https://manuals.uu.nl/en/manual/solisworkspace-faq/.

2FA

• The manual for setting up 2FA can be found at https://manuals.uu.nl/en/manual/twee-factor-authenticatie-faq/.
• Solutions to common issues with 2FA are described at https://manuals.uu.nl/en/manual/twee-factor-authenticatie-faq/(https://manuals.uu.nl/en/manual/twee-factor-authenticatie-faq/.

Help

If you need help installing SWS or setting up 2FA, please contact the UU IT Service Desk. They are present on day one of the summer school. Alternatively, you can reach them via

• the IT service desk, to the right of the desk near the Educatorium,
• phone, by calling +31 30 253 4500,
• mail, at servicedesk@uu.nl, or
• or WhatsApp, at +31 6 10 03 44 93.

Please inform the IT service desk that this concerns an Utrecht Summer School course, and keep your SolisID ready.

Log-In

After you have installed the software, you can log into SWS using the steps below:

1. Go to https://solisworkspace.uu.nl.
2. Log in using SolisID@soliscom.uu.nl (and replace ‘SolisID’ with the login name you received from the Summerschool).
3. Confirm login using 2FA.
   

WiFi

There are two or three options for you to connect to WiFi:

• Connect to the Utrecht University-network using your SolisID. As a user name, use SolisID@soliscom.uu.nl, and then fill in the password for the Solis account that you got.
• If you have Eduroam-access via your own research institute, you can use this also on the Utrecht Science Park.
• Use the Eduroam Visitor Access (EVA), the guest network of Eduroam. For this, you need a ‘day code’, which are depicted on screens in the hallway of UU-buildings. You should text this day code to the phone number also displayed on the screen. Then, you receive a login name and password. You then have WiFi for that entire day. Extra information can be found at https://manuals.uu.nl/a-z/?_tags=eduroam.

Printer

When logged in on a UU-computer with a SolisID, you can print by sending the material to the printer and log in with the SolisID on the printer.

Help and Resources: SEM Analyses

Some resources about learning more about particular analysis in Mplus are:

• The Mplus User Guide.
• The Mplus Discussion Forum. Although it has been closed for new questions for some time now, you can still access the hundreds (if not thousands) of questions and answers. You can access the forum here, or simply google your analysis of interest and add “mplus forum” in the search prompt.