What to do with significant multivariate effects in multivariate analyses of variance.

Significant multivariate tests in the multivariate analysis of variance are often followed by analyses of the contributions of individual dependent variables to those significant effects. There has been little agreement, however, as to which specific analyses should be performed. The use of the 2 most common techniques, analysis of variance for each dependent variable and discriminant analysis, are discussed and then illustrated in a computer study. It is suggested that the purpose of the user should determine the technique chosen as the 2 methods are not alternative approaches to the same problem. Analysis of variance can be used for hypothesis testing of individual variables and is appropriate for research. The value of discriminant analysis is in prediction and classification, although it can indicate complex relationships between measures in hypothesis testing.