You should not take the absolute value of the coefficient--although this would let you know the effect of a 1-unit decrease in X. Think of it this way:

Using the original negative coefficient, this equation shows the percentage change in Y for a 1-unit increase in X:

(exp[−0.0564*1]−1)⋅100=−5.48

Your "absolute value" equation actually shows the percentage change in Y for a 1-unit decrease in X:

(exp[-0.0564*-1]−1)⋅100=5.80

You can use a percentage change calculator to see how both of these percentages map onto a 1-unit change in X:

• Going from 1,000 to 1,058 is a 5.8% increase.
• Going from 1,058 to 1,000 is a 5.482% decrease.

You should not take the absolute value of the coefficient--although this would let you know the effect of a 1-unit decrease in X. Think of it this way:

Using the original negative coefficient, this equation shows the percentage change in Y for a 1-unit increase in X:

(exp[−0.0564*1]−1)⋅100=−5.48

Your "absolute value" equation actually shows the percentage change in Y for a 1-unit decrease in X:

(exp[-0.0564*-1]−1)⋅100=5.80

You can use a percentage change calculator to see how both of these percentages map onto a 1-unit change in X. Imagine that a 1-unit change in X were associated with a 58-unit change in linear Y:

• Our linear version of Y going from 1,000 to 1,058 is a 5.8% increase.
• Our linear version of Y going from 1,058 to 1,000 is a 5.482% decrease.