INLAvaan-package: INLAvaan: Approximate Bayesian Latent Variable Analysis

In INLAvaan: Approximate Bayesian Latent Variable Analysis

INLAvaan: Approximate Bayesian Latent Variable Analysis

Description

Implements approximate Bayesian inference for Structural Equation Models (SEM) using a custom adaptation of the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (Rue et al., 2009) \Sexpr[results=rd]{tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.1111/j.1467-9868.2008.00700.x")} as described in Jamil and Rue (2026a) \Sexpr[results=rd]{tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.48550/arXiv.2603.25690")}. Provides a computationally efficient alternative to Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for Bayesian estimation, allowing users to fit latent variable models using the 'lavaan' syntax. See also the companion paper on implementation and workflows, Jamil and Rue (2026b) \Sexpr[results=rd]{tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.48550/arXiv.2604.00671")}.

Main features

• acfa(): Approximate Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

• asem(): Approximate Structural Equation Modelling.

• agrowth(): Approximate Latent Growth Curve models.

Model specifications

Supports advanced 'lavaan' syntax features, including:

• Equality constraints

• Defined parameters (e.g., ⁠:=⁠ operator for indirect effects)

• Flexible prior specifications

Methods for INLAvaan objects

After fitting a model an INLAvaan object is returned. The following S4 methods are available. See INLAvaan for the class definition.

• Summaries and parameter estimates: summary(), coef(), vcov(), standardisedsolution()

• Fit assessment and model comparison: fitmeasures(), bfit_indices(), compare(), diagnostics(), timing()

• Posterior inference and simulation: predict(), sampling(), simulate()

• Visualisation: plot()

Online vignettes

The package website contains comprehensive examples covering:

• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

• Structural Equation Models (SEM)

• Latent Growth Curve Models

• Multigroup and Invariance Testing

• Mediation Analysis

Author(s)

Maintainer: Haziq Jamil [e-mail] (ORCID) [copyright holder]

Authors:

• Haziq Jamil [e-mail] (ORCID) [copyright holder]

Other contributors:

• Håvard Rue (ORCID) (Statistical and computational methodology) [contributor]

• Alvin Bong (Initial site build) [contributor]

See Also

Useful links:

• https://inlavaan.haziqj.ml/

• https://github.com/haziqj/INLAvaan

• Report bugs at https://github.com/haziqj/INLAvaan/issues

INLAvaan documentation built on Oct. 2, 2026, 1:07 a.m.