Download Factor Analysis II

Factor Analysis II
Paper-Session
A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Approach to Examine the
Structure of Taiwan Aboriginal Acculturation Scale (TAAS)
Li-Chiao Huang
This study illustrate a methodology for investigate the measurement properties of the Taiwan Aboriginal
Acculturation Scale (TAAS). This study uses confirmatory factor analytic methods to capture the construct of
the TAAS. More specifically, the aim of this study is to study whether or not a hierarchical model accounts for
the correlations among the items and how well each item measures the underlying dimensions.
The Taiwan Aboriginal Study Project (TASP) has been in operation since 1986. The whole project involves
four major aboriginal groups (the Atayal, Aim, Bunun, and Paiwan) and the Han Chinese in Taiwan. In brief,
TASP includes studies of morbidity risks, clinical manifestations, course and outcome of major psychoses,
depression, neuroses, alcohol use disorders, suicide and accidental death, and biological and sociocultural risk
factors of these morbidities. As part of the TASP, a new acculturation scale has been developed among the
aboriginal minorities in Taiwan. A total of 54 original TAAS items were constructed in Chinese according to
Milton Gordon’s framework with Likert-scaled scoring system ranking from 0 to 3. These items were
administered to 144 subjects stratified by age and sex who were randomly sampled from four major Taiwan
aboriginal groups. In the current study, apart from confirming the construct of acculturation (cultural of
upbringing, cultural assimilation, social assimilation, and social attitude), the model with multiple indicators and
multiple causes (MIMIC model) is also used to detect and describe non-invariance of the approach offers a way
to analyze the subgroups jointly, allowing for subgroup differences both in the distributions of the factors and in
their measurements.
Investigating Group Differences Using SEM: Implications of
Strict Factorial Invariance
Gitta Lubke, C. V. Dolan & Henk Kelderman
Strict factorial invariance (Meredith, 1993) consists of the composite hypothesis that factor loadings, error
variances and intercepts of the regression of observed scores on the factor(s) are equal over the groups. Within
the field of behavioral genetics it is generally agreed that one cannot infer from within group differences to
between group differences. On the other hand, within the context of SEM, the relation between observed group
differences and group differences in factor means is modeled using the within group measurement model
(Sörbom, 1974). Consequently, if strict factorial invariance is tenable, the same measurement model holds for
within and between group differences. An implication is that, if a single factor model holds for the within and
between differences, it is impossible to decompose the group difference in the mean of the single factor in, say,
environmental and genetic influences. Further important issues are (1) the power to reject strict factorial
invariance, and (2) the power to distinguish between models representing competing hypotheses regarding group
differences. These issues are discussed taking observed differences between blacks and whites on commonly
used cognitive tests as an example.
References:
[1] Meredith, W. (1993). Measurement invariance, factor analysis, and factorial invariance. Psychometrika,
58(4), 525-543.
[2] Sörbom, D. (1974). A general method for studying differences in factor means and factor structure between
groups. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 27, 229-239.
Psychometric Assessment of a Measure of Perceived Importance
of Quality of Worklife (QWL) Factors
Ali-Yusob Md-Zain & Bidin Yatim
This paper presents the results of a research conducted in Malaysia to develop a measure of perceived
importance of quality of worklife (QWL) factors among non-supervisory employees. A sample of 672
employees in government, semi-government, and private organizations participated in this study. The approach
taken in this study was to view QWL in terms of perceived organizational conditions, as opposed to other views
which regard QWL as either intervention strategies for organizational improvements or as an institutional
approach in creating workplace democracy. In this study, the conceptual categories proposed by Walton (1974)
were adopted as the basis for designing the QWL measure. Walton provided eight aspects in which employees'
perceptions toward their work organizations could determine their QWL. Both exploratory (EFA) and
confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to examine the underlying dimensions of perceived importance of
QWL factors. Results from CFA indicated that the seven-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than the
five-factor solution as suggested by EFA. The seven dimensions of QWL obtained were: growth and
development, participation opportunities, physical work environment, supervision, rewards, social relevance, and
workplace integration.
Estmation of Factor Scores
Peter M. C. Molenaar & C. V. Dolan
Standard methods to estimate latent factor scores in structural equation models are derived under the invalid
assumption that the model parameters (e.g., factor loadings) are known. We will present a new factor score
estimation technique which accommodates the uncertainties in the estimated model parameters. The new
technique is based upon recursive estimation techniques for state space modeling. Results from simulation
studies will be presented.