Measurement Invariance of Scores from the Inventory of School Motivation Across Chinese and U.S. College Students

Abstract

Measurement invariance of the 8-factor Inventory of School Motivation (McInerney & Sinclair, 1991) between American and Chinese college students was tested using single-group and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. A Mandarin Chinese version of the ISM was developed for this study. Comparisons of latent means were conducted when warranted by invariance results. Effort, Social Concern, Affiliation, and Praise subscales demonstrated configural, metric, and scalar invariance. Some items displayed strict invariance. The Task subscale showed configural and metric invariance. Competition, Social Power, and Token subscales did not show configural invariance. Chinese participants scored significantly higher than American peers on the latent constructs of Effort and Social Concern; Americans scored significantly higher than Chinese participants on Praise. Results are interpreted to provide partial support for the invariance of the ISM between Chinese and American college students.