[R] mixed models with ordinal independents

[Bruno L. Giordano]

Hello,
are there potential drawbacks in the use of rank (ordinal) variables as 
predictors in a "linear" mixed model for continuous dependents?

I am trying this approach to create mixed effects models independent of the 
(monotonic) transform of the independent variables. The use of rank 
transformed independents seems the logical choice to me.

Thank you for any feedback,
    Bruno


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bruno L. Giordano, Ph.D.
CIRMMT
Schulich School of Music, McGill University
555 Sherbrooke Street West
Montréal, QC H3A 1E3
Canada
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~bruno/