Methodological challenges associated with structural equation modeling (SEM) and structured means modeling (SMM) in research on school violence and related topics in the social and behavioral sciences are examined. Problems associated with multiyear implementations of large-scale surveys are discussed. Complex sample designs, part of any…

The authors of this study used the structural equation model (SEM) approach to test a model that hypothesized the influence of student learning strategies, internet and campus technology, quality of instruction and overall college experience, and student-faculty interaction on student academic achievement. Further a SEM model was developed to link…

In the positive theory of public bureaucracy, the prevailing view is that the structure of public agencies is designed from the top down by political superiors. Faced with bureaucrats who may disagree with them on policy and who are advantaged by private information, superiors choose rules and procedures to try to ensure that agencies do what they…

Objective: To test for gene-environment interaction with depressive symptoms and family conflict. Specifically, to first examine whether the influence of family conflict in predicting depressive symptoms is increased in individuals at genetic risk of depression. Second, to test whether the genetic component of variance in depressive symptoms…

After the evaluation of numerous technology integration programs in school districts and universities, it is recognized that the existence of technology does not guarantee its utilization in the classroom environment. Although many models and theories have tried to explain the contributing factors in technology acceptance, most of the models and…

A structural model of school learning was tested to examine both direct and indirect influences of previous grades, quality of instruction, motivation, quantity of instruction, and homework on Hispanic-American eighth-grade students' academic achievement, while controlling for background variables. The model was analyzed with path analytic…

This research investigated the influence of parental involvement on the academic achievement of 1,714 Mexican-American 8th-grade students, a subsample of the National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS 88). A structural equation model was used to investigate the direct, indirect, and total effects of parental involvement, previous academic…

This study examined the generalizability of the internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model of academic self-concept development. The "external" component of the model refers to comparing one's achievement with one's peers; in LISREL causal modeling, this external comparison is presented as positive paths. The "internal"…

A model of family, child, and parental childrearing characteristics was developed and tested for predicting the cognitive competence in a sample of 10,774 six-year-olds from The Netherlands. Results of LISREL analyses showed that parent education level played a central role in explaining differences in children's cognitive competence. Family…

This study used a national sample of Mexican Americans to develop structural equation models of the effects of 4 eighth- grade latent variables on educational expectations 6 years later. Findings indicated that parents' influences had a strong positive effect on educational expectations at late adolescence. Parents' influence dominated effects of…

The influence of ability, self-efficacy, positivity of role-modeling, and role conflict on higher-level career aspirations was investigated among women majoring in (1) mathematics, physical science, engineering; and (2) biological sciences. Differences between the two groups fit the model. Findings suggest interventions to increase women's…

Explored how perceptions of social support changed during first semester of university, and how social support, coping strategies, and adjustment were interrelated among freshmen in China. Found that overall social support did not change significantly. Support from different sources (parents, peers, teachers, siblings) showed distinctive change…

The relations between motivational constructs, effort, self-efficacy and worry, and statistics achievement were investigated in a sample of 360 undergraduates in Malaysia. Both trait (cross-situational) and state (task-specific) measures of each construct were used to test a mediational trait (r) state (r) performance (TSP) model. As hypothesized,…

The intent of this study is to present a systematic approach for evaluating the leadership effectiveness of deans and directors. We demonstrate the utility of multilevel structural equation modeling to examine variance in faculty and staff assessments of effectiveness and discuss the relevance of our model from individual and institutional…

In the present study, the authors investigated the academic subject matter domain specificity of the social-cognitive career choice model (R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994). The relationships between self-efficacy, goals, outcome expectations, and interests were examined across the subject areas of art, social science, math/science, and…