Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Research Articles

Exploring the Interplay Between Teaching Strategies and Digital Competencies Beliefs Among Pre-Service Teachers: A Longitudinal Study

One goal of teacher education is to create learning environments where pre-service teachers can explore and enhance their digital competencies. We aim to contribute knowledge on how these learning environments should be designed. First, our study focuses on examining the changes in pre-service teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) over one semester. Secondly, we evaluate the impact of various teaching strategies aimed at fostering these professional digital competencies, as conceptualized by the Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence (SQD) model. Our sample comprised 308 pre-service teachers (30% male students; x¯age = 23.29) from one German University attending different seminars (N = 40). Utilizing latent-change score models and bi-factor exploratory structural equation models, we indicated no significant overall change in TPK and TPACK across seminars. Taking into account the SQD teaching strategies and students’ satisfaction with these, not single teaching strategies but the orchestration of these strategies significantly positively impacted the development of pre-service teachers’ TPK and TPACK across seminars within a semester. These findings highlight the importance of employing various teaching strategies in pre-service teacher education to enhance pre-service teachers’ TPK and TPACK.

Revisiting the relationship between global and specific levels of foreign language boredom and language engagement: A moderated mediation model of academic buoyancy and emotional engagement

The current research aimed to examine the relationships among three key aspects of the language learning process, namely, foreign language boredom (FLB), English language engagement (ELE), and academic buoyancy (AB), utilizing data collected from 2,992 Chinese language learners. In order to strengthen the accuracy and robustness of the results, we initially performed primary analyses to determine the most effective measurement solution for the three variables. As a result, we decided to use a bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) solution for FLB, a partial bifactor-ESEM solution for ELE, and a unidimensional confirmatory factor analysis solution for AB. The primary analysis demonstrated that the global factor of FLB strongly and negatively influenced the global levels of ELE. Both global and specific factors of FLB predicted different facets of specific ELE differently. The mediation-moderation analysis further confirmed the significance of the specific factors of emotional ELE as mediators and AB as a moderator in the relationships between global and specific levels of FLB and global and specific levels of ELE. The findings offer a basis for theoretical and pedagogical implications.

An Inconvenient Truth: A Comprehensive Examination of the Added Value (or Lack Thereof) of Leadership Measures

AbstractThe leadership literature encompasses a bewildering array of leadership styles, with most studies focussing on the nature and consequences of a single leadership style in isolation. This isolationist approach has led researchers to mostly ignore the similarities between supposedly different leadership styles, and few studies have examined these overlaps empirically. To understand the extent of this problem, we use bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling to examine whether 12 dominant leadership measures capture shared variance and whether any variance unique to a particular style is related to theoretically and empirically established covariates. Moreover, we explore what the shared variance of these leadership measures may represent. Across seven samples, five countries, multiple organizational contexts, and 4000 respondents, the 12 leadership measures shared significant amounts of variance and did not systematically capture unique leadership‐related variance. Further analyses indicated this shared variance mainly represented the affective quality of the leader–follower relationship. The results reveal an inconvenient truth for leadership researchers who wish to differentiate styles, as the styles have much more in common than differences. Contrasting with previous recommendations to refine styles, we argue that a taxonomic leadership behaviour categories approach to leadership research is the most parsimonious way forward.

What Emotion Regulation Strategies are Associated with a General Psychopathology Factor (p) in Adolescence? Identifying Possible Transdiagnostic Targets for Intervention.

Mental health problems in adolescence are increasing and there is an urgent call for transdiagnostic interventions, as most adolescents experience problems across multiple domains. Research has identified a general psychopathology factor (p) capturing the shared variance across mental health problems. In parallel, there is empirical support for the transdiagnostic nature of emotion regulation. In the current study, we explore the associations between p and emotion regulation strategies to identify which strategies may be promising targets for intervention. Data from the population-based Youth and Mental Health Study (YAMHS) (N = 2,464, mean age 13.7years, SD 0.6) was used. The fit of different structural models of emotion regulation and psychopathology were compared, and latent factors from the final models were included in multiple regression analyses to explore the associations between p and emotion regulation strategies. A bifactor exploratory structural equation model (B-ESEM) showed best fit for modelling p. For emotion regulation strategies, an ESEM model showed best fit, including Rumination, Reactive Impulsivity, Distraction, Non-Acceptance, Problem Solving, Social Support, and Proactive Behavior. Results showed that a higher score on p was predicted by higher scores on the emotion regulation strategies Rumination (β = .38, p < .001) and Reactive Impulsivity (β = .35, p < .001), and lower scores on Problem Solving (β = -.15, p < .001). The results indicate that Rumination and Reactive Impulsivity have the strongest associations with p and may be promising targets for mental health interventions for adolescents.

Dimensionality of instructional quality in physical education. Obtaining students' perceptions using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling and multilevel confirmatory factor analysis.

In research on instructional quality, the generic model of the three basic dimensions is an established framework, which postulates that the three dimensions of classroom management, student support and cognitive activation represent quality characteristics of instruction that can be generalized across subjects. However, there are hardly any studies that examine if the three basic dimensions model could represent a suitable approach to measure instructional quality in physical education. Based on an extended model of the basic dimensions, a measurement model of instructional quality for physical education is presented, which integrates different theoretical approaches from the fields of educational and psychological research as well as different subfields of sports science in order to test the factorial structure of the corresponding measurement model. 1,047 students from 72 seventh to ninth grade classes from different German-speaking Swiss cantons participated in the study. The conceptualization of the instrument is based on a hybrid approach that integrates generic and subject-specific characteristics. The simultaneous analysis at the individual and class level using MCFA was supplemented by more complex methodological techniques within the relatively new B-ESEM framework at the individual level. The postulated five-factor structure was initially tested using ICM-CFA and showed a good model fit (e.g., χ2/df = 2.32, RMSEA = 0.03, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.04). MCFA revealed a differential factorial structure at both levels of analysis with five factors at the individual level and four factors at the class level (e.g., χ2/df = 2.23, RMSEA = 0.03, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.96, SRMR within = 0.04, SRMR between = 0.10). ESEM and B-ESEM outperformed the ICM-CFA and showed an excellent model fit (B-ESEM: χ2/df = 1.19, RMSEA = 0.01, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 1.00, SRMR = 0.01). Inter-factor correlations and factor loadings are largely in line with expectations, indicating arguments for construct validity. The study represents a substantial contribution in linking physical education and the generic research on instructional quality. Overall, strong arguments for the factorial structure of the measurement model were demonstrated. The study can be interpreted as a first step in a multi-step procedure in terms of further validity arguments.

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth (DASS-Y): evidence of validity and cross-national and gender measurement invariance.

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth (DASS-Y) is a recently developed measure of unpleasant emotional experiences for children and adolescents; however, the evidence for its validity is still limited. The present study evaluated the evidence for the structural, convergent, and incremental validity of the DASS-Y on a sample of Serbian adolescents aged 15-19 years (N = 421; 48% female, mean age = 16.86). Measurement invariance across gender and two countries (Serbia and Australia) was also tested. The findings supported the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM) representation of the DASS-Y, which includes the General factor of negative affect/emotional distress, and three specific factors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. The DASS-Y factors showed evidence of incremental validity in predicting global externalizing symptoms and demonstrated convergent validity in relation to measures of global internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as subjective well-being. The bifactor-ESEM model of the DASS-Y was found to be invariant across gender and two countries. The present study findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between general and specific components of unpleasant emotional states.

Validity and Reliability of the Chinese Version of Digital Hoarding Scale

Objectives: To facilitate research on digital hoarding in China, this study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Digital Hoarding Scale (DHS). Methods: A total of 618 participants were recruited through an online survey. The factorial structure, measurement invariance (MI), reliability, and validity of the DHS were tested. Results: The Chinese version of DHS was best represented by a bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling representation, which contains one general factor and three specific factors. The MI of the DHS was established across gender and age groups. Reliabilities of the specific and general factors were demonstrated by high values of omega coefficients. Moreover, the criterion validity was supported by the positive associations between DHS and physical hoarding disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety. Conclusions: The DHS is a reliable tool for future studies investigating digital hoarding in Chinese.

The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire for Teachers: Psychometric Properties Using the Bifactor ESEM Framework

This study is aimed at validating the French version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire for Teachers. The instrument was pretested before being administered in a large-scale study with elementary school teachers. Dimensionality of the instrument was examined using the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) framework. The bifactor ESEM model showed the best fitting indices and parameters. Importantly, results suggested the existence of a continuum for ERI data concerning elementary teachers. The instrument showed concurrent validity with several measures of mental health, job satisfaction and work-life balance.

Psychometric Properties of the Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation-Self-Report–Revised With High-Risk Adolescents

In treatment-seeking samples, approximately 40% of adolescents with suicidal ideation transition to engaging in suicidal behavior. Thus, assessment of the severity of suicidal ideation during care is critically important. However, few free, self-report, evidence-based measures that assess for severity of suicidal ideation exist. To address this need, the present study examined several psychometric properties of a revised version of the Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation–Self Report (MSSI-SR-R) with adolescents. A sample of 284 adolescents (Mage = 15.30; SD = 1.42; range = 12–18; 62.7% White; 75.7% Non-Hispanic/Latinx) enrolled in a partial hospital program (PHP) completed the MSSI-SR-R at the beginning of treatment. The factor structure of the MSSI-SR-R was assessed using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling. Measurement invariance across sexual identity was also examined. Internal consistency was calculated using omega. Validity was assessed by comparing scores on the MSSI-SR-R to well-validated self-report measures of suicidal thought and behaviors as well as depressive symptoms. Results supported a bifactor model with a general factor and two specific factors (i.e., Desire/Ideation and Plans/Preparation), which was invariant across sexual identity. The MSSI-SR-R total score demonstrated good reliability and was positively associated with measures of suicidal ideation and behaviors as well as depressive symptom severity. Though additional psychometric work is needed, the MSSI-SR-R demonstrated good psychometric properties. It may offer utility in clinical settings as a brief, free, and validated assessment of severity of suicidal ideation.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the L2 Savoring Beliefs Inventory

The rise of positive psychology (PP) in applied linguistics has led to a focus on the role of positive emotional functioning in second language (L2) learning and teaching. This field has identified key constructs from PP to understand how to replace negative emotions with positive ones in L2 learning. Despite these advancements, there is a need for a specific framework and scale to foster and measure positive emotions in this context. The concept of savoring, which involves recognizing and embracing positive emotions, addresses this need. The paper investigates the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Language-Specific Savoring Beliefs Inventory (L2SBI) through exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The results revealed that the bifactor ESEM solution is the most suitable model for assessing L2SBI. In other words, the L2SBI can be better represented by a comprehensive general component of L2 savoring beliefs, distinct from the three specific factors of anticipating progress in learning English, savoring the moment while learning English, and reminiscing about experiences in learning English. The study confirms the consistency of the L2SBI across genders and language levels, offering insights into varying belief patterns among learners and explaining differences in positive learning outcomes.

The study demands and resources scale: psychometric properties, longitudinal invariance, and criterion validity

The Study Demands and Resources Scale (SDRS) has shown promise as a valid and reliable measure for measuring students’ specific study demands and -resources. However, there is no evidence as to its psychometric properties outside of the original context in which it was developed. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the SDRS in a cross-national student population through examining its longitudinal factorial validity, internal consistency, and temporal invariance as well as criterion validity through its association with study engagement and task performance over time. Results showed that a Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Model (ESEM) with one general factor (overall study characteristics) and five specific factors (workload, growth opportunities, lecturer support, peer support, information availability) fitted the data, showed strong measurement invariance over time, and was reliable at different time points. The study further established criterion validity for the overall study characteristics factor through its concurrent and predictive associations with study engagement and task performance. However, the specific factors’ concurrent and predictive capacity could only partially be established when controlling for the general study characteristics factor. These findings suggest that study characteristics should be measured as a dynamic interaction between study demands and resources, rather than a hierarchical model.

Disordered gambling, or dependence and consequences: a bifactor exploratory structural equation model analysis of the problem gambling severity index

Background The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is a widely used assessment of disordered gambling. However, it has been claimed that instead of measuring a single factor of problem gambling severity, the PGSI measures two correlated factors of behavioral dependence and harms/consequences. The existing literature using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis has notable limitations that mean these accounts cannot be discriminated. Method Secondary data from 13 nationally representative surveys of gamblers in the UK (n = 42,422) between 2007 and 2023 were used to examine five different approaches to specifying one- and two-factor models of the PGSI. Results Overall, the findings supported a single construct account. Fit indices provided slight support for a two-factor model. However, the composition and loadings of these factors did not replicate in the disaggregated datasets and demonstrated poor model-based reliability. The best-fitting model was a bifactor ESEM model with a general gambling severity factor and a group-specific factor subsuming additional covariance between the first three or four items. Conclusions This study provides support for a unitary gambling severity construct and the use of total PGSI scores. The second factor observed elsewhere appears to consist of residual covariances between the first 3-4 PGSI items or a methods factor that can be explained by item framing (e.g. items that ask about gambling behavior).

Conceptualization and measurement of foreign language playfulness via exploratory structural equation modeling

The current research sought to conceptualize and measure foreign language playfulness (FLP), a recently developed construct in second language acquisition (SLA), through exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), a recently introduced scale measurement approach. Using a sample of 208 Iranian undergraduate language learners, we employed a series of statistical techniques to examine the underlying structure, best fitting model, psychometric properties, measurement invariance, and factor correlation of a new measure of FLP. Findings showed that bifactor EFA, compared with EFA, provided better representation for the underlying structure of the FLPS. Multiple model comparisons indicated that the bifactor ESEM model had a more satisfying representation of the FLPS than the other models (CFA, bifactor CFA, and ESEM). Cronbach's α and omega (ω) demonstrated that the FLPS is a reliable instrument. The bifactor ESEM model of the FLPS was also invariant across genders. Finally, factor correlation in ESEM exhibited a more accurate reflection of the association between the two factors (intellectual playfulness and other-directed playfulness) of the FLPS. The results were discussed by highlighting the importance of using ESEM to validate psychological constructs in SLA.

A Persian Validation of the Occupational Depression Inventory

Abstract: The present study examined the psychometric and structural properties of the Persian version of the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI). The ODI focuses on depressive symptoms that employed individuals specifically ascribe to their work. A sample of 355 Iranian schoolteachers was surveyed. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) bifactor analysis indicated that the ODI meets the requirements for essential unidimensionality. ESEM bifactor analysis and scalability analysis supported the use of the ODI’s total score. The instrument exhibited high reliability. Cross-cultural measurement invariance was supported. As for the concurrent validity of the ODI, occupational depression correlated, in the expected direction, with job satisfaction, life satisfaction, well-being, work engagement, sick leave, and antidepressant intake. No association was observed with sex, age, length of employment, and a history of depressive disorders over the past year. The ODI displayed a balance of convergent and discriminant validity vis-a-vis an attribution-free measure of depressive symptoms. The prevalence of occupational depression was estimated at 2.8% in our sample. Our findings endorse the Persian version of the ODI and confirm the instrument’s overall robustness.

A Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Model of Students’ Growth-Focused Motivation

In the current longitudinal study, we investigated the structure of students’ (N = 1,469) specific growth constructs and their broader growth orientation using a bifactor exploratory structural equation model. We also examined the extent to which each of these components was associated with gains in students’ academic and nonacademic outcomes across one year of school. Results demonstrated unique variance attributable to specific growth constructs and broader growth orientation, suggesting that there is an integrative network of growth-focused motivation. These specific and broad growth components also presented different patterns of associations with students’ outcomes. Findings suggest educational interventions should target different components of students’ growth-focused motivation depending on the desired academic or nonacademic outcome that researchers and educators wish to improve.

The dimensionality of L2 teacher self-regulation strategies and its interactions with teacher self-efficacy: Exploratory structural equation modeling

Teacher self-regulation plays a critical role in effective teaching and professional success. It is not only deemed to be a path to professional development but also a prerequisite to cultivating students' self-regulatory capacity. However, our understanding of in-service second/foreign language (L2) teachers' self-regulation strategies is insufficient. This study aimed to address gaps in the literature by exploring the factorial structure of self-regulation strategies for teaching among L2 teachers in China. Grounded in sociocognitive theory, we proposed a multidimensional structure of self-regulation strategies for teaching and made methodological innovations by using rigorous statistical methods including exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and bifactor ESEM to measure the construct-relevant multidimensionality of teacher self-regulation strategies. The study collected data from a sample of 242 in-service L2 teachers across 18 universities in various regions of China. Model comparisons confirmed the ESEM model with the best fit, accounting for 12 specific teaching strategies (i.e., organization, elaboration, critical thinking, goal setting, self-evaluation, self-monitoring, motivational self-talk, emotional regulation, interest enhancement, collective teacher commitment, seeking help and resources, and time and environment management). These specific teaching strategies with moderate correlations confirmed the multidimensional structure of teacher self-regulation entailing cognition, metacognition, motivation, and social behavior. In addition, L2 teachers’ self-regulation strategies were closely connected to their sense of efficacy in classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies, supporting the criterion validity.

Towards Clarification of the Second Language Learner Engagement Construct: Taking Stock of its Conceptual Overlap and Hierarchical Structure

Abstract L2 learner engagement is an emerging but critical construct in the field of psychology of language learning and teaching. However, research on L2 learner engagement has suffered from the inconsistent operationalization of the multidimensional structure of the construct and the conceptual overlap among its different components, making research synthesis and comparison across studies and contexts challenging. This study tested the utility of the bi-factor exploratory structural equation modelling framework (B-ESEM)—an overarching psychometric framework that can address the two critical concerns associated with the operationalization and measurement of L2 learner engagement. Data were collected from 413 Vietnamese EFL students. Through two stages of rigorous and strategic data analysis, the results suggested that participants’ responses to the L2 learner engagement scale could be best represented by a B-ESEM model that simultaneously assessed the global L2 engagement factor along with the specific components of behavioural, cognitive, affective, and social engagement while, at the same time, controlling for the cross-loadings of items onto non-target factors. Results of the study were discussed from both psychometric and substantive perspectives and implications were provided to capitalize on the utility of the B-ESEM approach in the assessment of L2 learner engagement.

Bifactor models of psychopathology using multi-informant and multi-instrument dimensional measures in the ABCD study.

Due to limitations of categorical definitions of mental illness, there is a need for quantitative empirical investigations of the dimensional structure of psychopathology. Using exploratory bifactor methods, this study investigated a comprehensive and representative structure of psychopathology in children to better understand how psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, impulsivity, and sensitivity to reward and punishment, may be integrated into extant general factor models of psychopathology. We used seven child-report and three parent-report instruments capturing diverse mental health symptoms in 11,185 children aged 9-10 from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) Study. We built on previous modeling frameworks by conducting both split sample and full sample factor analytic approaches that harnessed recent methodological advances in bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (B-ESEM) to examine a wide range of psychopathology measures not previously integrated into a single analysis. Validity of psychopathology dimensions was examined by investigating associations with sex, age, cognition, imaging measures, and medical service usage. All four factor analytic models showed excellent fit and similar structure within informant. PLEs loaded most highly onto a general psychopathology factor, suggesting that they may reflect non-specific risk for mental illness. ASD symptoms loaded separately from attention/hyperactivity symptoms. Symptoms of impulsivity and sensitivity to reward and punishment loaded onto specific factors, distinct from externalizing and internalizing factors. All identified factors were associated with clinically relevant risk factors, providing preliminary evidence for their construct validity. By integrating diverse child-report and parent-report psychopathology measures for children in the ABCD sample, we deliver data on the quantitative structure of psychopathology for an exceptionally large set of measurements and discuss implications for the field.

A bifactor representation of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for children: gender and age invariance and implications for adolescents’ social and academic adjustment

BackgroundThe Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is a widely used scale for screening depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. This study aims to uncover the optimal factor structure of the DES-DC and presents an alternate conceptualization of adolescent depression by estimating bifactor models and several competing models using a sample of Chinese adolescents.MethodsThe participants were 533 adolescents (49.7% boys, 49.7% girls, 3 participants did not report) between 12 and 18 years of age attending public secondary schools in the middle part of mainland China. Data were collected in classrooms using a questionnaire survey. A structural equation modeling approach was used to estimate and compare a series of competing models for the DES-DC.ResultsA Bifactor exploratory structural equation model (Bi-ESEM) with the best model fit was retained for representing the current data. Tests of measurement invariance demonstrated strict measurement equivalence across gender and age. No gender and age differences have been found in the general depression factor. Findings provided evidence for the composite reliability and construct validity of DES-DC. Depressive symptoms positively related to the Big Five trait neuroticism, negative emotions, loneliness, social anxious behaviors, and disruptive behaviors during school and negatively related to agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, physical health status, school connectedness, and academic self-efficacy.ConclusionsThis study provides support for the one general factor construct of the CES-DC and the continuum concept structure of adolescent depression. Moreover, this research offers empirical evidence for comparing depression symptoms among adolescent populations with diverse genders and age groups. Additionally, the findings replicate and expand upon the implications of depressive symptoms on adolescents’ traits, well-being, social-relational adjustment, and academic adaptation.

The burnout-depression conundrum: investigating construct-relevant multidimensionality across four countries and four patient samples

This research seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the distinctive nature of burnout and depression. In a first study, we relied on employee samples from four European countries (N = 5199; 51.27% women; M age = 43.14). In a second study, we relied on a large sample of patients (N = 5791; 53.70% women; M age = 39.54) who received a diagnosis of burnout, depressive episode, job strain, or adaptation disorder. Across all samples and subsamples, we relied on the bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling to achieve an optimal disaggregation of the variance shared across our measures of burnout and depression from the variance uniquely associated with each specific subscale included in these measures. Our results supported the value of this representation of participants’ responses, as well as their invariance across samples. More precisely, our results revealed a strong underlying global factor representing participants’ levels of psychological distress, as well as the presence of equally strong specific factors supporting the distinctive nature of burnout and depression. This means that, although both conditions share common ground (i.e. psychological distress), they are not redundant. Interestingly, our results also unexpectedly suggested that suicidal ideation might represent a distinctive core component of depression.