Testing Significant Differences Between Two Slope Values – Methods and Best Practices

rregressionstatistical significance

The data I have are a regression slope value of y~time, a standard error, an n value and a p value, for a particular species in two different areas. I want to check whether the the regression slope for one area is significantly different from the regression slope for the other area – is this possible with such data? Does anyone have any suggestions how I could go about this? I can't get access to the raw data unfortunately…

Sorry that this is such a simple question!

Best Answer

The following article might be helpfull to you, as it describes how to evaluate if the effect of a given explanatory factor is invariant over persons, time, or organizations:

Paternoster, R., Brame, R., Mazerolle, P., & Piquero, A. R. (1998). Using the Correct Statistical Test for the Equality of Regression Coefficients. Criminology, 36(4), 859–866.

What they basically say is, that to test the hypothesis that the difference between $b_1$ and $b_2$ (1 and 2 being two samples or times) is equal to zero you can apply the following formula:

$\begin{equation} Z= \frac{b_1-b_2}{\sqrt{{SEb_1}^{2}+{SEb_2}^2}} \end{equation}$

SE being the standard error of the respective 'slopes' in your case.