Confirmatory Factor Analysis Methods Research Articles

Determinants of Parental School Selection for Early Childhood Education: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) Approach

Choosing the most suitable education for their children is often challenging for parents due to the many factors that must be considered. The desire to find the ideal kindergarten is complicated by the need to meet various criteria, leading to confusion and difficulty in decision-making. This study addresses this complexity by employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to simplify selection. Focusing on TKIT Al Farabi, the research validates a hypothesised model comprising ten critical factors: location, accreditation, facilities, fees, curriculum, religious education, teacher competence, extracurricular activities, school order and cleanliness, and alumni achievements. Data were collected from 154 parents through a structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS software. The CFA results confirmed five dominant factors: school excellence, teacher professionalism, education costs, social development, and language development, collectively explaining 60.9% of the total variance. The study demonstrates that the CFA method effectively aids parents in making quick and accurate decisions regarding early childhood education. The findings also emphasise the significance of academic and non-academic attributes in school selection, suggesting that educational institutions should adopt more holistic curricula. These results have substantial implications for policymakers and educational administrators, underscoring the need for integrated programs that align with the diverse expectations of parents. Despite the study's valuable insights, further research in diverse settings is recommended to enhance the generalizability of the findings.

The Impact of Social Media and Emotional Intelligence on Investment Decision: A Fuzzy Set Delphi Study Among Investors in Thailand's Stock Market

The economic condition of Thailand and the rate of return observed on the stock exchange of Thailand (SET) surpasses the profits generated through savings. This has resulted in SET gaining popularity among individuals seeking a substantial rate of return. Understanding the elements investors consider when investing in Thailand's stock exchange is crucial due to its increasing popularity. This research utilizes a second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) method to examine the impact of social media and emotional intelligence on investors' investment decisions in Thailand's stock market. The research method employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Step 1 involved qualitative research utilizing the e-fuzzy set Delphi technique, which entailed sending an online questionnaire to 19 experts. The questionnaire included both open-ended and closed-ended questions on a 7-point scale. Step 2 involved conducting quantitative research using simple random sampling. To gather information from investors in SET, 600 investors were surveyed. It was found that emotional intelligence, social media, risk perception, and financial literacy influence investors’ investment decisions in SET, respectively. This research will provide new insights into the impact of social media and emotional intelligence on investors' decision-making in Thailand's stock market.

Analyzing Managerial Skills for Employability in Graduate Students in Economics, Administration and Accounting Sciences

The study analyzes how graduate students in economics, administration and accounting perceive their managerial skills for employability, with the aim of determining its associated variables to improve the educational processes of future managerial leaders. It focuses on the importance of developing transferable skills that meet current and future job demands. To measure the perception of skills, a structured and duly validated questionnaire (Employability Skills 2000+) was used, answered by 225 graduate students in Economics, Administrative and Accounting Sciences in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The data obtained from the application were analyzed using the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) method with the FACTOR software. The CFA generated an adaptation of the original scale with 21 variables. The resulting scale determined three predominant factors: personal management skills, fundamental skills and teamwork skills, which presented good consistency and validity, allowing us to make conclusions regarding employability skills in the context studied. The findings show the existence of a correlation between fundamental skills and variables such as work experience, employment status and gender, as well as a high correlation between teamwork skills, work experience and employability conditions.

A scale for seventh and eighth grade students’ attitudes towards skill-based mathematics questions

The aim of this study is to develop a theoretically sound, valid, and reliable scale to examine seventh and eighth grade students’ attitudes towards so-called skill-based mathematics questions (SBMQ). The sample of the study was 820 seventh and eighth grade students at three different middle schools in Etimesgut District of Ankara Province. A draft item pool was crafted after a detailed literature review and the scale was finalized for the implementation after receiving expert opinions. This version of scale was administered shortly before the national examination which included skill-based questions in the 2022-2023 academic year. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used to examine the construct validity of the scale. The analysis resulted in 16 items in three factors (affective, cognitive, and motivational) which explained 46% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability scores were above .70 for each factor and whole scale. The results indicated that the Attitudes Towards SBMQ Scale developed for seventh and eighth grade students is valid and reliable.

The Turkish Version of a Personal Responsibility Scale for Chinese College Students: Adaptation and Validation.

The purpose of this study is to carry out the Turkish adaptation study of the personal responsibility scale developed by Ren et al for Chinese university students and to examine the validity and reliability of the adapted scale. The original scale was developed to determine the personal responsibility levels of Chinese university students. This research is very important in terms of determining the personal responsibility levels of Turkish university students. This research involved university students, who were selected through purposeful sampling, a non-probability sampling method. After the original scale was translated into Turkish, a pilot study was conducted on 165 students and exploratory factor analysis was conducted to reveal the scale structure. The validity and reliability of the determined factor structure was tested on 259 students. Internal consistency was obtained with the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to check the validity of the two subscale structure. To examine the two-dimensional factor structure of the scale, fit indices were examined: X2/df (1.591), GFI (0.949), IFI (0.937), TLI (0.920), CFI (0.936), RMSEA (0.048) and SRMR (0.050) and It was observed that the indices were within acceptable limits. In the analysis results conducted with the multi-group confirmatory factor analysis method for measurement invariance, it was observed that ∆CFI and ∆TLI values among all metrics were less than or equal to 0.010. The Turkish version of the personal responsibility scale for Chinese college students, consisting of 12 items and two subscales, was proven to be a confirmatory and reliable tool to measure university students' awareness of personal responsibility.

Investigating the Validity and Reliability of WTC Construct In L2 Arabic: A Case Study

The main goal of learning Arabic is to develop practical linguistic skills among learners centered around the concept of willingness to communicate (WTC). WTC refers to learners' strong desire and readiness to speak in specific contexts or situations. A critical challenge is how to accurately measure WTC in Arabic language learning using a valid and reliable instrument. Understanding WTC is crucial as it indicates learners' motivation to use Arabic, enhances their speaking proficiency, and creates a supportive linguistic environment. Research on WTC in Arabic language learning is currently limited, necessitating further exploration in this area. Consequently, this study aims to develop a valid and reliable WTC measurement instrument for Arabic language learners using a quantitative approach, incorporating both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) methods. The participants for this research are 204 Arabic language learners, and a survey was utilized for data collection. The WTC instrument employed in this study is an adaptation of existing instruments, modified to align with the context of Arabic language learning and the specific conditions of Indonesian learners. The findings reveal that the WTC construct has yielded valid and reliable items that can be used to measure WTC among learners in Arabic language learning. Furthermore, there are three main dimensions within this construct, namely, the context of online, classroom, and offline. Thus, it is hoped that the WTC construct developed can be utilized to measure aspects of WTC among Arabic language learners, thereby enabling the determination of further steps in realizing linguistic behaviors

Improving Employee Performance Effectiveness Strategy In Implementing Hybrid Working At Switching Service Companies

One of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on industries in Indonesia is the implementation of strict mobility restrictions, including in the IT industry. The increased demand for online services and information technology has driven development and innovation to create new ideas in the application of information technology across various fields, such as e-commerce, online learning, work from home (WFH), and others. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing employee performance and formulate strategies to improve employee performance effectiveness in the implementation of a hybrid work system in switching service companies. The study involves 83 samples using probability sampling techniques with simple random sampling. Data processing employs the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) method and the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The results show that Work Environment, Technology Infrastructure, Work Efficiency, and Intrinsic Motivation have a significant direct impact on Employee Performance, and Work Autonomy has a significant indirect impact through the Intrinsic Motivation variable on Employee Performance. However, Work Autonomy does not have a significant direct impact on Employee Performance. Several recommendations include efforts to address issues hindering performance achievement, particularly in cases where employees experience a decline in performance when the hybrid work system is implemented. To enhance employee performance, companies can take strategic steps in several crucial aspects, such as work environment, technology infrastructure, work efficiency, and intrinsic motivation.

Developing a Health Belief Model Scale for Smoking Behaviour During Pregnancy: Validity and Reliability Study

Objective: The Health Belief Model, which is one of the most frequently used models in explaining health behaviours, reveals the determinants of performing preventive health behaviours. Since our perceptions play an active role in changing a behaviour, a measurement tool is needed to evaluate the pregnant woman perceptually within the scope of HBM. Our study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of pregnant women about quitting smoking by developing a scale within the scope of Health Belief Model and analyze the validity and reliability of the scale within Turkish context. Methods: In the methodological study, which was conducted at the gynecology polyclinic of an university hospital between 15.05.2018 - 30.04.2019, the data were collected by applying a questionnaire to pregnant women who smoked at least one cigarette per day. The sample of the study consists of 289 pregnant women who applied to the clinic for routine pregnancy follow-ups. The content validity of the scale was evaluated by taking the opinions of nine experts in the field of public health nursing. Descriptive and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used in the analysis of the data. Results: 24.6% of the participants are high school graduates, 56.7% are not employed, 49.1% have a history of unplanned pregnancy, and 1% have started smoking during their current pregnancy. Cronbach Alpha values of the sub-dimensions of the scale ranged between .90 and .70, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices were found as RMSEA = 0.066, CFI = 0.904 and NFI = 0.842. Conclusion: The scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool for measuring perceptions of pregnant women about smoking cessation behavior smoking behaviours. It is recommended to use the assessment of perceptions of smoking cessation behavior among pregnant smokers.

Developing patient safety scale for hospitals.

The study aimed to contribute to the literature with a reliable and valid scale for hospitals to be used in determining the current patient safety culture and following up on its development. The study was conducted with the participation of 1137 healthcare professionals selected using the convenience sampling method in 3 secondary-care state hospitals and three research and training hospitals, one of which was affiliated with a medical faculty, and two were affiliated with the Health Sciences University. To begin with, to discover the latent structure of the items on the scale, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed. Additionally, to determine the factor structure of the scale, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) method was used. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated to check the reliability of the responses. According to Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO = 0.924) coefficient and the result of Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ 2 = 9748.777, df = 770), it was determined that the data structure was suitable for factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the total scale was found to be 0.921. According to the EFA results, the scale was determined to have seven subscales, which were 1. Organizational Learning, Development, and Communication, 2. Management Support and Leadership, 3. Reporting Patient Safety Events, 4. Number of Personnel and Working Hours, 5. Response to Error, 6. Teamwork, and 7. Working Environment. The goodness-of-fit index results of the scale showed a good model fit (χ 2 / df = 3.04, RMSEA = 0.06, CFI = 0.97, NFI = 0.95, IFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.06). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the subscales varied between 0.66 and 0.91. The results showed that the Patient Safety Scale for Hospitals is a valid and reliable measurement instrument for healthcare professionals.

Psychometric Test of the Indonesian Version of the Procrastination at Work Scale (PAWS) Instrument

The Procrastination at Work Scale (PAWS) is an instrument that can be used to measure the level of procrastination that occurs in employees. Procrastination can make employees slow in completing assigned tasks. This research aims to obtain a standardized PAWS to be used in Indonesia. PAWS consists of two dimensions, namely soldiering and cyberslacking, and has a total of 12 items. PAWS was analyzed using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) method. The analysis results found that PAWS is an instrument with good validity and reliability values. The items contained in it can also measure the workplace procrastination level. However, PAWS is suggested to be a unidimensional instrument.

Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire

Objective: Gastroesophageal reflux is a disease that is common in society and affects quality of life. The aim of the present study was to test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Quality of Life scale.
 Methods: A total of 161 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease who applied to the gastroenterology outpatient department of a university hospital between July 2017 – October 2017 constituted the sample of this study. The study was a methodological and descriptive study. In the validity and reliability studies, the language validity, content validity, internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient) and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used.
 Results: The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Quality of Life scale was α = 0.885, while its content validity ranged between 0.84-0.92. According to confirmatory factor analysis, the 4-factor structure of the scale, consisting of 16 items, generally had good fit.
 Conclusion: The Turkish version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Quality of Life scale was found to be a valid and reliable scale that can be used to measure the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Qualitative Methods to Translate, Adapt, and Revise Personality Inventories

Abstract: The Icelandic versions of the HEXACO-100 and HEXACO-60 were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The sample for HEXACO-100 consisted of N = 716, and the sample for HEXACO-60 of N = 319. Six respondents were recruited for cognitive interviews. Modification indices, factor loadings, and cognitive interviews were used to identify items in need of revision, identifying a total of 56 items. Examples of the types of information gained using a holistic approach during item identification are presented. While widely used in psychometric research, the combination of confirmatory factor analysis with cognitive interviews and probing is underutilized in research on personality assessment. A holistic approach toward psychometric evaluation provides valuable information and is recommended as an integral part of the validation process of personality instruments.

Designing the Empowerment Model of Patients Hospitalized in the Hospitals Affiliated to Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd

Introduction: Identifying factors that influence the patient experience are critical to implementing strategies that support patient engagement and ultimately achieve better health outcomes. The present study was conducted with the aim of presenting a model of empowerment of hospitalized patients.
 Methods: The current research was a qualitative-quantitative study that was cross-sectional by stratified sampling method with proper allocation in hospitals affiliated to Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, on 230 heads, managers, matrons, supervisors, heads of clinical and paraclinical departments and hospital headquarters units, nurses and doctors were done. The data were collected using the demographic information tool and the questionnaire made by the researcher to design a model of empowering patients admitted to the hospital. Determining the ability of the designed model by fitting the data was done with the confirmatory factor analysis method. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 software and Amos.v 24 software.
 Results: Questionnaire for designing a model of empowering patients in the hospital has 8 areas and 61 items or components. In the present study, the Chi-square ratio to the degree of freedom was significant (p<0.001), which indicated the appropriate fit of the model. The value of the GFI index was estimated at 0.93, which indicated that the model fits well. The values of GFI and AGFI for the empowerment model of hospitalized patients were higher than 0.8.
 Conclusion: Organizations and medical institutions have the opportunity to utilize this model to empower patients. The universities of medical sciences and affiliated hospitals should create an enabling environment for enhancing patient empowerment.

When and how to use set-exploratory structural equation modelling to test structural models: Atutorial using the R package lavaan.

Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) is an alternative to the well-known method of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). ESEM is mainly used to assess the quality of measurement models of common factors but can be efficiently extended to test structural models. However, ESEM may not be the best option in some model specifications, especially when structural models are involved, because the full flexibility of ESEM could result in technical difficulties in model estimation. Thus, set-ESEM was developed to accommodate the balance between full-ESEM and CFA. In the present paper, we show examples where set-ESEM should be used rather than full-ESEM. Rather than relying on a simulation study, we provide two applied examples using real data that are included in the OSF repository. Additionally, we provide the code needed to run set-ESEM in the free R package lavaan to make the paper practical. Set-ESEM structural models outperform their CFA-based counterparts in terms of goodness of fit and realistic factor correlation, and hence path coefficients in the two empirical examples. In several instances, effects that were non-significant (i.e., attenuated) in the CFA-based structural model become larger and significant in the set-ESEM structural model, suggesting that set-ESEM models may generate more accurate model parameters and, hence, lower Type II error rate.

Norms, convergent validity, test–retest reliability, and practice effects for verbal fluency overall performance, clustering, and switching in Spanish-speaking children

Objective We conducted two empirical studies (in a cross-sectional and a longitudinal design) with the aim at establishing normative data (including norms for strategy use [i.e., clustering and switching strategies] and performance over time), and examining the convergent validity, the test–retest reliability (3–4 wks interval) and the changes in performance with practice (1 year interval) of the different verbal fluency (VF) quantitative and qualitative scores in Spanish-speaking children and adolescents. Method In S1 (n = 620 6- to 15-year-old Spanish-speaking children and adolescents), MANCOVA and Pearson’s correlations were employed. In S2 (n = 148 6- to 12-year-old Spanish-speaking children), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), paired t-tests, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used. Results S1 results showed an age effect on all VF measures (quantitative and qualitative). The number of switches/clusters was more related to total word productivity and to executive functions (EF) than the mean cluster size. In S2, a significant increase in phonological VF performance was observed on number of switches and word productivity scores from baseline (Time 1) to repeat testing at Time 2. Practice effects were observed at Time 3 on all measures except for semantic and phonological mean cluster size. Test–retest reliability coefficients at Time 2 for number of clusters and switches, but not for mean cluster size, fell in the moderate range, ranging from ICCs .61 to ICCs .81. Test–retest reliability coefficients for total word productivity were higher (ICCs above .80) and stronger when testing as a unity with CFA methods (ϕ=.94, p < .001). Conclusions These data may be relevant for informing the neuropsychological assessment of spontaneous cognitive flexibility in children with typical development (TD) and those with developmental or acquired disorders.

Cross-National Measurement of Mathematics Intrinsic Motivation: An Investigate of Measurement Invariance with MG-CFA and Aligment Method Across Fourteen Countries

One of the main objectives of international large-scale assessments is to make comparisons between different countries, education policies, education systems, or subgroups. One of the main criteria for making comparisons between different groups is to ensure measurement invariance. The purpose of this study was to test the measurement invariance of the mathematics intrinsic motivation scale across 14 countries. For this purpose, the "students like learning mathematics" scale, which measures intrinsic motivation for mathematics, was included in the TIMSS 2019 cycle. The study sample consisted of a total of 152992 students, 70192 4th grade and 82800 8th grade students from 14 different countries participating in the TIMSS 2019 cycle. Measurement invariance was tested with Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MG-CFA) and Alignment Method. The mathematics intrinsic motivation scale provides only configural invariance according to MG-CFA at the 4th grade level, whereas the scale provides approximate invariance according to the alignment method. At the 8th grade level, the scale provides configural and metric invariance according to MG-CFA, whereas the scale provides approximate invariance according to the alignment method. The results indicate that the mathematics intrinsic motivation scale provides approximate measurement invariance at both grade levels and that comparisons can be made between the scores of the identified countries.

Conirmatory Factor Analysis of Depression, Anxiety and Stress 21 (DASS 21) scale in a study on Occupational Health Psychology in Health Care Professionals from Anand, Gujarat

Introduction: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is a statistical technique to verify the factor structure of a set of observed variables. Objective: The study was conducted with an objective to study the psychometric properties of DASS 21 scale by Confirmatory factor analysis Method: This study used a Multi Method Design (Multiple approach Design), one was a cross sectional study of 228 participants and the other was a Solomon 4 group Design with total 64 participants. Four groups of health care professionals viz Allopathic doctors, Physiotherapists, Nursing professionals and Community Health Officers (CHOs) were chosen for the study. Convenience sampling was done at two stages. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity of DASS 21 scale. The model was overidentified as the estimated parameters were less than the number of observed variances and covariances. CMIN/DF(Chi square (minimum discrepancy function) /Degree of freedom) value was 2.021 which was &lt; 5. Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) value (0.892) was near to .9. Root Mean square Residuals (RMR) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) value were 0.031 and 0.063 respectively which were less than 0.08. Average variance extracted (AVE) for the three constructs were less than the squared interconstruct correlation. Conclusion: DASS-21 scale demonstrated a good convergent validity, but in this study, discriminant validity was found to be poor as determined by average variance extracted in comparison to squared Interconstruct correlation.

Turkish Adaptation of Personal Social Responsibility Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

The concept of personal social responsibility is a crucial notion that significantly impacts both individuals and society as a whole. Individuals' embrace of social responsibility leads to positive developments economically, ecologically, psychologically, and socially. It also plays a protective role factor against potential risks and crises. The purpose of this research is to adapt the Personal Social Responsibility Scale into Turkish and to test its validity and reliability within the context of a sample from Turkey. The research sample comprises 223 individuals between the ages of 20 and 65 years, including 111 males and 112 females, all of whom have a steady income. Translation efforts were conducted in line with the research objective, followed by the use of confirmatory factor analysis and discriminant validity methods to test validity and reliability. The confirmatory factor analysis resulted in the desired fit and item-total correlation values, ensuring the expected differentiation regarding the scale. As a result, a valid, reliable, and practical tool for assessing the level of personal social responsibility within the Turkish sample was developed through this research.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Multi-Factor Scale in Understanding the Perception of Mutual Fund Investors in Equity Schemes

One of the most important factors that determine whether or not an economy can expand and thrive is the degree to which it provides incentives for investment in the sector. Certain specialized organizations are required to be involved to successfully mobilize the finances of the general public for the goal of achieving beneficial outcomes. Therefore, mutual funds are the best option for the average investor since they can provide a cost-effective way to participate in a professionally managed and diversified collection of assets. This makes them the ideal alternative for the normal investor.&#x0D; The purpose of this research is to investigate the many aspects of investor perception and investigate the significance of these aspects to finance professionals working in the sector of investment. A conceptual model of the flow of mutual funds is built, operationalized, and verified with the help of a sample size of 131 investors. The findings demonstrate that each of the five dimensions—namely, risk, return, fund features, fund manager, and fund group—plays a significant role in determining the perspectives that investors have on their decisions to invest in mutual funds. Methods of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the dimensions.

Evaluation of the Usefulness of the CSR Program of Oil and Gas Companies in East Kalimantan on the Implementation of Accuracy, Suitability, and Usefulness

The motivation to carry out activities after receiving assistance from the CSR program used as a measure in this research is to see the extent to which students' attitudes towards work behavior are based on Islamic values. The use of measuring instruments in several cultures requires an implementation process to obtain valid and reliable measuring instruments. This implementation process uses ITC references. This research aims to implement the Indonesian Santri version of an entrepreneurial intention measurement tool. Content validity uses the Content Validity Index (CVI) method, while construct validity uses the Confirmatory Factor Analysis method using Amos 23. The scale validation subjects involved 308 respondents. The results of the research show that 16 items measure motivation to carry out activities after receiving assistance from the students' CSR program. The modification results show that the model fits with 16 statements containing the Motivation factor for carrying out activities after receiving CSR program assistance, which is indicated by the Chi-Square values which are not significant, GFI (0.99), CFI (0.915), TLI (0.90) and RMSEA (0.01), This proves that the Motivation scale for carrying out activities after receiving CSR program assistance is suitable and meets the assumption of unidimensionality, and has a positive relationship with entrepreneurial motivation