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Assessing the quality and usefulness of factor-analytic applications to personality measures: A study with the statistical anxiety scale

  • Identification data

    Identifier: PC:3485
    Authors:
    Ferrando, P. J.Navarro-González, D.
    Abstract:
    Factor analysis (FA) is the most widely used modeling approach for developing and assessing psychometric personality measures. Furthermore, the appropriateness of an FA application of this type is generally judged on the sole basis of model-data fit, a criterion which is clearly insufficient. This article proposes a multi-faceted approach for assessing (a) the strength and replicability of the factorial solution, (b) the accuracy and effectiveness of the factor score estimates, and (c) the closeness to unidimensionality in measures that were initially designed to be single-trait. The proposal was applied to a measure of statistical anxiety, the SAS, and the main results were the following: (a) both the unidimensional and the oblique solutions were well defined and replicable, and they led to accurate factor score estimates; and (b) unidimensional-based scores were effective over the full practical range of trait values whereas the ranges of the more specific factors in the oblique solution were narrower. It is submitted that the use of the proposal and the accompanying criteria has important advantages and can help to raise standards in FA applications in personality.
  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Ferrando, P. J.; Navarro-González, D.
    Department: Psicologia
    URV's Author/s: FERRANDO PIERA, PERE JOAN; NAVARRO GONZÁLEZ, DAVID
    Keywords: Item response theory Factor analysis
    Abstract: Factor analysis (FA) is the most widely used modeling approach for developing and assessing psychometric personality measures. Furthermore, the appropriateness of an FA application of this type is generally judged on the sole basis of model-data fit, a criterion which is clearly insufficient. This article proposes a multi-faceted approach for assessing (a) the strength and replicability of the factorial solution, (b) the accuracy and effectiveness of the factor score estimates, and (c) the closeness to unidimensionality in measures that were initially designed to be single-trait. The proposal was applied to a measure of statistical anxiety, the SAS, and the main results were the following: (a) both the unidimensional and the oblique solutions were well defined and replicable, and they led to accurate factor score estimates; and (b) unidimensional-based scores were effective over the full practical range of trait values whereas the ranges of the more specific factors in the oblique solution were narrower. It is submitted that the use of the proposal and the accompanying criteria has important advantages and can help to raise standards in FA applications in personality.
    Research group: INNOVACIONS TECNOLÒGIQUES EN LA MESURA DE TRETS LATENTS
    Thematic Areas: Psychology Psicología Psicologia
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    ISSN: 0191-8869
    Author identifier: 0000-0002-3133-5466; 0000-0002-9843-5058
    Record's date: 2019-03-28
    Last page: 86
    Journal volume: 123
    Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
    Link to the original source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886917306712?via%3Dihub
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Article's DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.11.014
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Journal publication year: 2018
    First page: 81
    Publication Type: Article Artículo Article
  • Keywords:

    Ansietat--Tests
    Personalitat--Tests
    Item response theory
    Factor analysis
    Psychology
    Psicología
    Psicologia
    0191-8869
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