 One-way ANCOVA

SPSS Statistics output of the one-way ANCOVA

SPSS Statistics generates quite a few tables in its one-way ANCOVA analysis. In this
section, we show you only the main tables required to understand your results from
the one-way ANCOVA and the post hoc test. For a complete explanation of the output
you have to interpret when checking your data for the nine assumptions required to
carry out a one-way ANCOVA, see our enhanced guide. This includes relevant
scatterplots and grouped scatterplot, and output from your Shapiro-Wilk test for
normality, Levene's test for homogeneity of variances, and tests of between-subjects
effects. You can learn more about our enhanced content here.
In this "quick start" guide, we explain the descriptives table, as well as the results for
the one-way ANCOVA and post hoc test. We go through each table in turn:
Descriptive statistics
The Descriptive Statistics table (shown below) presents descriptive statistics (mean,
standard deviation, number of participants) on the dependent variable, post, for the
different levels of the independent variable, group. These values do not include any
adjustments made by the use of a covariate in the analysis.

One-way ANCOVA results

The main section of the results is presented in the Tests of Between-Subjects Effects
table, as shown below:
This table informs you whether the different interventions were statistically
significantly different having adjusted for your covariate. Put another way, whether
there was an overall statistically significant difference in post-intervention cholesterol
concentration (post) between the different interventions (group) once their means had
been adjusted for pre-intervention cholesterol concentrations (pre). This is highlighted
below:

In order to interpret the results, read along the group row until you reach the "Sig."
column. This provides the statistical significance value (i.e., p-value) of whether there
are statistically significant differences in post-intervention systolic blood pressure
(i.e., the dependent variable) between the groups (i.e., the independent variable) when
adjusted for pre-intervention systolic blood pressure (i.e., the covariate). In this
example, you can see that there is a statistically significant difference between
adjusted means (p < .0005).
Estimates
To get a better understanding of how the covariate has adjusted the original post group
means, you can consult the Estimates table, as shown below:

Notice how the mean values have changed compared to those found in the Descriptive
Statistics table above. These new values represent the adjusted means (i.e., the original
means adjusted for the covariate).

 N-way ANOVA
Introduction
The two-way ANCOVA (also referred to as a "factorial ANCOVA") is used to
determine whether there is an interaction effect between two independent variables in
terms of a continuous dependent variable (i.e., if a two-way interaction effect exists),
after adjusting/controlling for one or more continuous covariates. In many ways, the
two-way ANCOVA can be considered an extension of the one-way ANCOVA, which
has just one independent variable (rather than two independent variables), or an
extension of the two-way ANOVA to incorporate one or more continuous covariates.
A two-way ANCOVA can be used in a number of situations. For example, consider an
experiment where two drugs were being given to elderly patients to treat heart disease.
One of the drugs was the current drug being used to treat heart disease and the other
was an experimental drug that the researchers wanted to compare against the current
drug. The researchers also wanted to understand how the drugs compared in low and
high risk elderly patients. The goal was for the drugs to lower cholesterol
concentration in the blood. The patients were of varying ages and the researchers
wanted to control for these differences in age. Therefore, in this experiment the two
independent variables are drug (with two groups: "Current" and "Experimental") and
risk (with two levels: "Low" and "High"), the dependent variable was cholesterol (i.e.,
cholesterol concentration in the blood) and the continuous covariate was age. The
researchers wanted to know: (a) whether the experimental drug was better or worse
than the current drug at lowering cholesterol; and (b) whether the effect of the two
drugs was different depending on whether elderly patients are classified as at low risk
or high risk. These two aims are entirely typical of a two-way ANCOVA analysis.
Importantly, the second aim is answered by determining whether there is a statistically
significant two-way interaction effect. This is usually given first priority in a two-way
ANCOVA analysis because its result will determine whether the researchers' first aim
is misleading or incomplete. Assuming that a statistically significant two-way
interaction effect is found, this indicates that the two drugs have different effects in
low and high risk elderly patients (i.e., the effect of drug on cholesterol depends on
level of risk), after adjusting/controlling for age. Depending on whether you find a
statistically significant two-way interaction effect, and the type of interaction you
have, will determine which effects in the two-way ANCOVA you should interpret and
any post hoc tests you may want to run (i.e., where "post hoc tests" are follow-up
analyses that are carried out after running a two-way ANCOVA analysis to learn more
about your results).
In this introductory guide to the two-way ANCOVA, we first set out a couple of study
designs where the two-way ANCOVA is most often used. Next, we set out the
assumptions of the two-way ANCOVA. Making sure that your study design, variables
and data pass these assumptions is critical because if they do not, the two-way
ANCOVA is likely to be the incorrect statistical test to use. On page 2 of this
introductory guide, we set out the example we use to illustrate the two-way ANCOVA
using SPSS Statistics, before showing how to set up your data in the Variable View
and Data View of SPSS Statistics. We then demonstrate the SPSS Statistics procedure
to carry out a two-way ANCOVA in Version 25 of SPSS Statistics, which is the
current version of the software, and then Version 24 and earlier, since the procedure is
slightly different in earlier versions of SPSS Statistics. Finally, on page 3 of this
introductory guide, we explain how to interpret the main results of the two-way
ANCOVA where you will determine if you have a statistically significant two-way
interaction between your two independent variables in terms of your dependent
variable (after adjusting for your covariate). Alternatively, if you would like to access
our more comprehensive 28 page two-way ANCOVA guide, you can do so by
subscribing to Laerd Statistics (please note that membership includes access to all of
our guides).