Required Variable Levels in Kruskal Wallis

Posted by johnyo99 on Jul 15, 2012; 4:06pm
URL: http://spssx-discussion.165.s1.nabble.com/Required-Variable-Levels-in-Kruskal-Wallis-tp5714231.html

Hello all,

Having read the thread on Required Variable Levels in Nonparametric Tests I am no wiser as to if it is possible to use Ordinal data for the 'Test Fields' in nonparametric tests, specifically Kruskal Wallis.  I am using Version 19 of SPSS.  IS it OK to change the field to scale data even thought the data is ordinal just to get an output.  

Being a relative novice I understand that my data is not Scale, but all of my research suggests that the Kruskal Wallis test is the appropriate method of analysis.  I am comparing the responses of three unrelated groups who have answered a seven-point Likert Item and I am trying to find if there is a difference between the three groups.

Any help would be much appreciated,

John