Secondary Analysis of National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 Data: A Statistical Review

This review examines published secondary analyses of National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) data, with a primary focus upon statistical objectives, paradigms, inferences, and methods. Its primary purpose was to determine which statistical techniques have been common in secondary analyses of NLTS2 data. The review begins with an examination of past knowledge about statistical trends in special education research and follows with a summary of results. Researchers most often used logistic regression analysis or tests of group mean differences. Null hypothesis testing was the primary inferential approach and few researchers used multilevel modeling to take into account the longitudinal design of the NLTS2 data set. By learning about past approaches to analyzing NLTS2 data, future researchers may explore alternative statistical procedures in secondary analysis of the NLTS2 data set to inform the knowledge base.