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Confirmatory Factor Analysis
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Measurement connects theoretical concepts to what is observable in the empirical world, and is fundamental to all social and behavioral research. In this volume, J. Micah Roos and Shawn Bauldry introduce a popular approach to measurement: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). As the authors explain, CFA is a theoretically informed statistical framework for linking multiple observed variables to latent variables that are not directly measurable. The authors begin by defining terms, introducing notation, and illustrating a wide variety of measurement models with different relationships between latent and observed variables. They proceed to a thorough treatment of model estimation, followed by a discussion of model fit.  Most of the volume focuses on measures that approximate continuous variables, but the authors also devote a chapter to categorical indicators. Each chapter develops a different example (sometimes two) covering topics as diverse as racist attitudes, theological conservatism, leadership qualities, psychological distress, self-efficacy, beliefs about democracy, and Christian nationalism drawn mainly from national surveys. Data to replicate the examples are available on a companion website at https://study.sagepub.com/researchmethods/qass/roos-confirmatory-factor-analysis, along with code for R, Stata, and Mplus.

 
Chapter 1: Introduction
 
Chapter 2: Model Specification
 
Chapter 3: Identification and Estimation
 
Chapter 4: Model Evaluation and Respecification
 
Chapter 5: Measurement Invariance
 
Chapter 6: Categorical Indicators
 
Chapter 7: Conclusion
 
Appendix: Reliability of Scales
 
Glossary
 
Bibliography

Supplements

Student Study Site

Example code as well as data (variously in R using lava, Stata, and Mplus) is provided by chapter.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis is well written and easy to read, The book covers the essentials necessary for understanding and using CFA. It is appropriate for graduate students and professors new to this analysis approach.

Jerry J. Vaske
Colorado State University

The authors provide a masterful and fluid overview of confirmatory factor analysis that will guide readers to the best practices whether conducting their own research or evaluating the research of others.

John Hoffmann
Brigham Young University

This is a well-written and comprehensive text.

Michael D. Biderman
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Roos and Bauldry lucidly set out foundations of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) as applied in the assessment and construction of scales. Beginning with model specification, they discuss identification, estimation, and assessment of CFA models, before developing extensions to assessing measurement invariance and categorical (rather than quantitative) indicators.

Peter V. Marsden
Harvard University

This is an important text to support the validation of surveys

Professor Melanie Taverna
Periodontics Dept, Univ Of Texas Hlth Sci Center
April 1, 2024
Key features
  • Introduces a popular approach to measurement: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
  • Defines terms, introduces notation, and shows a wide variety of hypotheses about how latent and observed variables might be related.
  • Provides a thorough treatment of model estimation, followed by a discussion of measures of fit. 
  • Focuses on measures that approximate continuous variables
  • Provides a chapter on categorical indicators.
  • Topical examples are used, drawn mainly from national surveys.
  • Data to replicate the examples are available on a companion website, along with code in R, Stata, and Mplus.

Sage College Publishing

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This title is also available on SAGE Research Methods, the ultimate digital methods library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.