Background/Context: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model is a commonly adopted framework to estimate and test a measurement model. Once a well-fitting final CFA model is selected, the selected model may be used to test structural relationships of the latent constructs with other variables, to construct a test with desired reliability and…

Critically examining common statistical approaches and their strengths and weaknesses is an important step in advancing recreation and leisure sciences. To continue this critical examination and to inform methodological decision making, this study compared three approaches to determine how alternative approaches may result in contradictory…

This study explored motivation and engagement among North American (the United States and Canada; n = 1,540), U.K. (n = 1,558), Australian (n = 2,283), and Chinese (n = 3,753) secondary school students. Motivation and engagement were assessed via students' responses to the Motivation and Engagement Scale-High School (MES-HS). Confirmatory factor…

Factor analysis can be a valuable tool for assessing validity; however, the reliabilities of identified factors must be attended to. This study examined the impacts of item variance on factor stability and structure. The attempt was to determine empirically whether unnumbered graphic scales scored using a larger number of scale steps produce more…

Lists six problems related to descriptive data and to factor analysis performed in a previous research study reported in this journal. Includes the authors' response to the suggested weaknesses of their study. (JN)

Investigates the psychometric adequacy of Steers and Braunstein's (1976) Manifest Needs Questionnaire. Research results indicate that the instrument possesses adequate stability but lacks adequate internal consistency. Factor analytic procedures fail to replicate the a priori factor structure. Results are compared with Steers and Braunstein's…

Developed and tested the psychometric properties of the 38-item Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers. Found that the scale was reliable for young children, first-order and higher order confirmatory factor analysis models fit the data, and factor correlations were mostly moderate. Achievement test scores correlated moderately with…

Since its appearance in 1974, the Snyder Self-Monitoring Scale has been employed in research dealing with self-presentation, attribution, and attitude expression. The Scale was developed to measure the degree to which people are concerned with the social appropriateness of their behavior, are aware of relevant social cues, and regulate their…

The paper identifies and addresses four methodological weaknesses common to most previous studies that have used LISREL confirmatory factor analysis to test for the factorial validity and invariance of a single measuring instrument. Specifically, the paper demonstrates the steps involved in: (1) conducting sensitivity analyses to determine a…