Confirmatory Factor Analytic Procedures Research Articles

Further Examination of the Factor Integrity of the Sport Anxiety Scale

The purpose of the present study was to provide further evidence for the factor structure and composition of the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS; Smith, Smoll, & Schutz, 1990) using a sample of competitive male rugby players (N = 570). Three models were tested using both confirmatory factor analytic and polyto-mous item-response theory procedures: Smith et al’s original model; Dunn et al.’s (2000) alternative model in which Items 14 and 20 were originally designed to measure Concentration Disruption load on the Worry factor (Model A); and Model B (the removal of Item 1). Results showed that Models A and B provided similar fits to the data. Overall these findings argue for the utilization of Model B to improve model fit and maintain conceptual clarity. Our findings suggest that the factor structure and composition of the SAS needs further examination and possible refinement before researchers can feel more confident about the effectiveness of the instrument’s psychometric properties.

Pain Sensitivity in Gulf Veterans With Medically Unexplained Musculoskeletal Pain

Epidemiological evidence indicates that nearly 100,000 Gulf War veterans (GWVs) returned from the Persian Gulf reporting myriad symptoms with no apparent medical explanation. Predictive and confirmatory factor analytic procedures verified musculoskeletal pain as one of three categories describing the unexplained symptoms of GWVs. Over a decade has passed and the pain complaints of GWVs have received little scientific attention, beyond establishing that a problem exists. PURPOSE To comprehensively assess pain sensitivity and to determine the effect of exercise in GWVs with medically unexplained musculoskeletal pain versus healthy veteran controls. METHODS Thirty GWVs (n=12 unexplained muscle pain; n=18 healthy) completed a series of psychophysical pain assessments designed to determine pain sensitivity to heat and pressure stimuli. Testing included: 1) measures of pressure pain threshold and tolerance (in seconds), 2) suprathreshold ratings for pressure pain intensity and affect (0–20 scale), 3) heat pain thresholds (degrees C), and 4) pain intensity and affect ratings in response to temperatures ranging from 44 degrees C to 50 degrees C (Descriptor Differential Scaling). Testing occurred prior to and following 30 minutes of cycling exercise set at 70% of peak oxygen capacity. RESULTS There were no group differences in age, height, weight or self-reported physical activity. There were no group differences for either pressure or heat pain thresholds or pressure pain ratings. GWVs with unexplained muscle pain consistently rated heat stimuli as more intense and unpleasant compared to controls both pre [Intensity: F(1,27)=4.1, p=0.05; Affect: F(1,27)=5.4, p=0.03] and post [Intensity: F(1,27)=7.9, p=0.009; Affect: F(1,27)=7.4, p=0.01] exercise. GWVs with unexplained pain rated exercise as more painful (t=3.2, p=0.003), but not as requiring more effort than controls. Exercise generally had a large effect on heat pain ratings for sick veterans but had no effect on heat pain ratings for healthy veteran controls. CONCLUSIONS GWVs with medically unexplained musculoskeletal pain are more sensitive to experimental heat pain stimuli than healthy veteran controls, with the differences being larger following 30 minutes of intense exercise. Surprisingly, healthy GWVs did not exhibit the expected analgesic response following exercise. Our data suggest that a multidimensional and multimodal approach are important for determination of psychophysical differences and exercise effects in GWVs with medically unexplained musculoskeletal pain. Supported by DVA #561-00215

Other: Confirmatory factor analysis of the verbal rating scale on the McGill pain questionnaire short form

Previous research has examined the factor structure of the McGill Pain Questionnaire- Short Form (MPQ-SF). Results have varied, but have supported the notion that the verbal descriptors of the MPQ-SF assess two constructs: Affective and Sensory pain. The present study examined the fit of a commonly reported three factor model. Two factors consisting of “Sensory” and “Affective” pain related words were modeled as belonging to a third, higher order factor of “Pain”. The sample consisted of 1185 patients reporting to two multidisciplinary pain treatment centers in a large Midwestern U.S. city. The combined sample's demographic information represented a wide range of disorders (34% myofascial pain, 38% low back pain), pain chronicity (range: 1 – 591 months), ages (range 12–91 years), education levels (6–21 years), and ethnicity (18% African American, 76% Caucasion). Confirmatory factor analytic procedures were conducted on the Verbal Rating Scale of the MPQ-SF using a combined sample of adequate “goodness of fit” indices were obtained by this model: GFI = .84, AGFI = .90, PGFI = .62. A higher than expected Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA = .11) indicates a need for continued model evaluation. Alternative models are suggested, and implications of demographic differences and differential item functioning are offered. Proposals for psychometric calibration of items using Item Response Theory are discussed.

An Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Womanist Identity Attitudes Scale

Responses from 101 African American/Black and 100 White women were used to examine the psychometric properties of the Womanist Identity Attitudes Scale (WIAS; Ossana, 1986; Ossana, Helms, & Leonard, 1992). First, internal consistency reliabilities suggested the need for further development of 3 of the 4 WIAS subscales. Second, links between WIAS scores and (a) sexist, (b) hostile sexist attitudes toward women, (c) benevolently sexist attitudes toward women, and (d) egalitarian attitudes toward women's rights and roles provided mixed support for the convergent validity of the WIAS. Third, consistent with theoretical conceptualization, the intercorrelations among WIAS subscales were similar for African American/Black and White women. These intercorrelations, however, were not entirely consistent with the theorized developmental process of the womanist identity model. Finally, the structural validity of the WIAS was examined using confirmatory and exploratory factor-analytic procedures. Both sets of analyses challenged the fit of the theorized womanist identity development model with data produced by the WIAS.

Factor Structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in Low- Income Women Attending Primary Care Clinics

Given the high rates of major depressive disorder in primary care settings, routine use of screening measures to assist in identifying depressed individuals is warranted. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) ( Radloff, 1977 ) is a self-rated measure of distress commonly used to screen for depression in primary care settings. The present study was undertaken to confirm the original four-factor model in a sample of low-income women attending primary care clinics (N = 179). Although the original four-factor structure has been replicated in a variety of population groups, internal validity of the measure has not been previously examined in this population sample. A series of confirmatory factor analytic procedures failed to replicate the original four-factor structure or a second-order model. An exploratory analysis, using principal components and a VARIMAX rotation yielded three factors: Depressed Affect/Somatic Symptoms, Positive Affect, and Interpersonal Difficulties. Results of this study add support to previous research documenting an increased somatic presentation of depression in low-income samples. Implications for the use of the CES-D as a screening tool to identify depression in similar primary care samples are discussed.

The Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey: A Comparison across Grade Levels

The Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey (PALS) was developed to assess a trichotomous achievement goal structure, which included the following subscales: Task Goal Orientation, Performance-Approach Goal Orientation, and Performance-Avoid Goal Orientation. The use of the PALS in making inferences about these goal orientations was originally validated with a middle school sample of students. In this study, the authors computed Cronbach’s alphas and employed confirmatory factor analytic procedures to provide statistical evidence of the reliability and validity of inferences based on scores from the PALS at the fourth-grade and college levels.

Task and Scheduling Self-efficacy as Predictors of Exercise Behavior

Social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986, 1995, 1997) has figured prominently among social psychological approaches taken to the investigation of exercise behavior. The present study validated two measures of self-efficacy (scheduling and task) through confirmatory factor analytic procedures. In a separate study, the resultant factors were then used as independent variables in the prediction of exercise behavior and behavioral intention in a structural equation model. Task self-efficacy was found to be more related to behavioral intention than scheduling self-efficacy. Scheduling self-efficacy was found to be more related to behavior than task self-efficacy or behavioral intention. Results support different types and motivational functions of self-efficacy for exercise intentions and behavior.

Reliability and Validity of the Writing Essential Skill Screener—Elementary Version (WESS-E)

The Writing Essential Skill Screener - Elementary Version (WESS-E) was designed to screen primary-grade children who are at risk for writing difficulties. 'Four independent samples of boys and girls ages 6-7 were used to study the WESS-E's reliability and validity. Internal consistency of WESS-E items (n = 499) was .91, while 30-day test-retest reliability (n = 83) was .86. On item analysis of the standardization sample, items ranged in difficulty from .28-.98 (median = .49), while 88% of WESS-E items met or exceeded a.50 item discrimination criterion. The WESS-E yielded concurrent validity coefficients (n = 125) of .75 with scores on the Woodcock-Johnson: Tests of Achievement - Revised (WJ-R) Broad Written Language Domain and .78 with scores on the Wide-Range Achievement Test - Revised (WRAT-R) Spelling subtest. Exploratory factor analytic procedures suggest the WESS-E is comprised of two dimensions: writing skills and name writing. However, this factor structure did not fit the data well using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. A diagnostic efficiency study indicated the WESS-E's total predictive value was 84%, sensitivity = .92, specificity = .76, positive predictive power = .79, and negative predictive power = .90.

An examination of the psychometric properties of the Test of Reading Performance using structural equation modeling.

The present purpose was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Test of Reading Performance, a new scale designed to evaluate the reading performance of Greek elementary school students. The sample consisted of 181 elementary school students, attending Grades 1-6 at two elementary schools in the area of Thessaloniki. The Test of Reading Performance was hypothesized to measure six constructs, namely, letter knowledge, phoneme blending, word identification, morphology knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and passage comprehension. Each construct was defined by two to four measured variables. The chosen structural model supported the multidimensional nature of reading and the relationship between the measured variables and constructs. Estimates of discriminant and convergent validity using confirmatory factor analytic procedures were satisfactory although these was multicollinearity for the measures morphology-syntax and morphology-comprehension. Internal consistency was also satisfactory for the full scale (alpha = .83).

Development and Initial Validation of the Africultural Coping Systems Inventory

This article describes the development and validation of the Africultural Coping Systems Inventory (ACSI). The ACSI is a 30-item measure of the culture-specific coping strategies used by African Americans in stressful situations and is grounded in an African-centered conceptual framework. Findings from a principal components factor analysis conducted with a sample of African American adults (N = 180) supported a four-factor model as best representing the culture-specific coping behaviors of the group. A content review of the factors suggested the following dimensions of coping behaviors: cognitive/emotional debriefing, spiritual-centered coping, collective coping, and ritual-centered coping. Using a separate sample of African Americans (N = 220), the ACSI was subjected to a confirmatory factor analytic procedure to establish whether the four-dimension model of coping adequately fit the data. This procedure indicated that the four-factor oblique model was the best fit. The ACSI also demonstrated adequate internal consistency and concurrent validity. The authors discuss limitations of the study and implications for future research.

Development and Refinement of a Measure for Assessing the Acceptability of Assessment Methods: The Assessment Rating Profile-Revised

This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of the Assessment Rating Profile-Revised (ARP-R), an instrument designed to evaluate the acceptability of assessment methods. First, an overview of the initial exploratory work on the original scale, the Assessment Rating Profile (APR; Kratochwill & Van Someren, 1984), is provided. Research examining the reliability and validity of the ARP is reviewed and psychometric inadequacies are highlighted. Next, the results of a study examining the psychometric properties of the revised measure are reported. The results of the study indicated that the ARP-R demonstrated good internal consistency, with coefficients ranging from .94 to .99. Test-retest reliability across 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals rangedfrom .82 to .85, suggesting adequate stability over time. Confirmatory factor analytic procedures indicated a reasonable fit of the data to the proposed one-factor model, “General Assessment Acceptability.” Lastly, suggestions are made regarding use of the ARP-R in applied and research settings.

Subject-matter specificity of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, interests, and goals: Implications for the social–cognitive model.

This study was designed to investigate the academic-subject-matter domain specificity of self-efficacy, interests, outcome expectations, and goals. Four major subject-matter domains were selected to investigate this issue: math/science, art, social studies, and English. To examine this question, 16 instruments were constructed to measure the 4 concepts across the 4 subject domains. An analytical strategy similar to that used in multitrait multimethod studies was used. Using this strategy, a series of factor models was tested for fit to the data using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. Results indicated that a factor solution that accommodated both distinct subject matters and distinct constructs provided the best fit to the data, supporting the existence of the constructs of academic self-efficacy, interests, outcome expectancies, and goals that are specific to each subject-matter domain.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale

The assessment of children’s life satisfaction (LS) is a relatively new area of research. To date, one of the most comprehensive investigations in this area has culminated in the development of the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale [MSLSS; Huebner, E. S. (1994). Preliminary development and validation of a multidimensional life satisfaction scale for children. Psychological Assessment, 6, 149–158]. The first multidimensional scale of its kind, the MSLSS assesses children’s subjective perceptions of LS in five conceptually relevant domains: Family, Friends, School, Self, and Living Environment. Initial investigations of its psychometric properties and relationships to theoretically related variables have supported the validity and reliability of the MSLSS. The present study builds upon this past research by assessing the relative goodness-of-fit of the MSLSS using confirmatory factor analytic procedures by means of the SPSS LISREL statistical package. Subjects were 314 children in Grades 3–8. Results of the analyses and their implications for the reliability and validity of the MSLSS are discussed.

Assessment of burnout for Chinese human service professionals: a study of factorial validity and invariance.

The present study used both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures to assess the factorial and construct validity of the MBI in Chinese human services professionals (N = 612). The classic three dimensions of burnout were supported, and the deletion of Items 12, 14, and 22 yielded a better fitting model. This new 19-item MBI for Chinese resembled the original 22-item MBI in the pattern of factor correlations and yielded satisfactory internal consistency estimates. Tests of equivalence of item measurements and theoretical structure of the revised 19-item MBI were also performed across gender. Results supported the invariance of the three-factor structure for men and women. Only items measuring the Depersonalization dimension were equivalent, whereas items of the Emotional Exhaustion and Lack of Personal Accomplishment dimensions were partially invariant across gender.

Assessment of burnout for Chinese human service professionals: A study of factorial validity and invariance

The present study used both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures to assess the factorial and construct validity of the MBI in Chinese human services professionals (N = 612). The classic three dimensions of burnout were supported, and the deletion of Items 12, 14, and 22 yielded a better fitting model. This new 19-item MBI for Chinese resembled the original 22-item MBI in the pattern of factor correlations and yielded satisfactory internal consistency estimates. Tests of equivalence of item measurements and theoretical structure of the revised 19-item MBI were also performed across gender. Results supported the invariance of the three-factor structure for men and women. Only items measuring the Depersonalization dimension were equivalent, whereas items of the Emotional Exhaustion and Lack of Personal Accomplishment dimensions were partially invariant across gender. ©1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 54: 55–58, 1998.

The measurement of exercise motives: Factorial validity and invariance across gender of a revised Exercise Motivations Inventory

Objectives. The aim of this study was to further develop and refine the Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI), a measure of individuals' reasons for exercising.Design. Confirmatory factor analytic procedures using LISREL were employed to test the hypothesized 14‐factor structure of the revised instrument (the EMI‐2) and the invariance of the factor structure across gender.Methods. Four hundred and twenty‐five civil servants completed the revised instrument. Analyses were conducted in three phases. Phase 1 involved detailed examination of the fit of the 14‐factors separately in order to detect and eliminate poor indicators. In Phase 2 each factor was paired with every other factor in order to detect and eliminate ambiguous items. In Phase 3 factors were grouped with conceptually related factors into five submodels and the fit and factorial invariance across gender of these submodels was tested.Results. Item elimination at Phases 1 and 2 led to the development of a set of internally consistent factors with strong indicators and good discriminant validity. Phase 3 gave further evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the items and factors and strong support for the invariance of the factor structure across gender.Conclusions. The EMI‐2 is a factorially valid means of assessing a broad range of exercise participation motives in adult males and females, applicable to both exercisers and non‐exercisers.

A graded conceptualisation of self-determination in the regulation of exercise behaviour: Development of a measure using confirmatory factor analytic procedures

The aim of this research was to test the continuum of behavioural regulation, as outlined by Deci and Ryan (1990), in the exercise domain. A Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ) was developed to measure external, introjected, identified, intrinsic and amotivated forms of regulation for exercise behaviour. 298 sports centre attendees completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the existence of this gradient of autonomy in exercise behaviour regulation but high levels of skewness in the amotivation items indicated that amotivated regulation was not relevant for this sample. A four factor model with amotivation eliminated demonstrated acceptable discriminant validity and internal consistency. A second study confirmed the factor structure and internal consistency of the measure. Multisample analysis established factorial invariance across gender. Subscale intercorrelations approximated a simplex pattern, characteristic of an underlying continuum. The BREQ may allow finer analysis of the motivational forces at play in exercise adoption and maintenance situations.

Development and factor structure of a self-report measure for assessing internalizing symptoms of elementary-age children

The development and factor structure of the Internalizing Symptoms Scale for Children (ISSC), a new self-report measure for assessing internalizing symptomatology in children, is detailed. Development of the ISSC was driven by the lack of a children's self-report instrument designed specifically to assess the broad domain of internalizing symptomatology, as well as research findings showing a high degree of comorbidity among internalizing syndromes (e.g., depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, social withdrawal). Thorough and methodologically rigorous procedures were employed during the development of the ISSC to ensure strong content validity as well as clinical utility. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures were utilized on the 54-item ISSC research protocol, resulting in a strong two factor solution for the 48 items retained. Factor 1, Negative Affect/General Distress, includes items that indicate the presence of internalizing symptoms, or in some cases, the absence of optimistic or functional emotional states. Factor 2, Positive Affect, includes items describing positive affect incompatible with internalizing symptoms, or in some cases, items that reflect the absence of internalizing symptoms. Results of the factor analyses are discussed in terms of previous research on affectivity and specific internalizing syndromes or disorders. Potential uses of the ISSC, as well as further research needed, are described. Implications of the present investigation for future assessment and classification studies in the area of child psychopathology are reviewed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

A validation test of a message elaboration measure

This report is on the development and testing of a message elaboration measure. The reliability of the message elaboration scale is high μ = .86 to .94 over several studies. Confirmatory factor analytic procedures support the structure of the scale. Patterns of correlations with existing measures of cognitive processes also support the validity of the message elaboration measure.

Latent structure of the Postconcussion Syndrome Questionnaire.

The underlying structure of the Postconcussion Syndrome Questionnaire (PCS) was evaluated in a large sample of medical and psychiatric patients. Three potentially viable models were generated using exploratory factor analysis with half of the sample. The other half evaluated the 3-, 4-, and 5-factor models using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. The factor analyses generated compelling data for a 5-factor model for the PCS questionnaire. However, internal consistency for each of the factors argued in favor of the 3-factor model. Balancing internal consistency, confirmatory factor analyses, and parsimony resulted in endorsement of a 4-factor solution for the PCS questionnaire for this sample. The factors are best described as clusters of psychological, somatic, cognitive, and infrequent complaints.