Latent class analysis (LCA) is a widely used technique for detecting unobserved population heterogeneity in cross-sectional data. Despite its popularity, the performance of LCA is not well understood. In this study, we evaluate the performance of LCA with binary data by examining classification accuracy, parameter estimation accuracy, and coverage…

This study aims to address a gap in the social and behavioral sciences literature concerning interaction effects between latent factors in multiple-group analysis. By comparing two approaches for estimating latent interactions within multiple-group analysis frameworks using simulation studies and empirical data, we assess their relative merits.…

This paper aims to advocate for a balanced approach to model fit evaluation in structural equation modeling (SEM). The ongoing debate surrounding chi-square test statistics and fit indices has been characterized by ambiguity and controversy. Despite the acknowledged limitations of relying solely on the chi-square test, its careful application can…

The replication crisis in social and behavioral sciences has raised concerns about the reliability and validity of empirical studies. While research in the literature has explored contributing factors to this crisis, the issues related to analytical tools have received less attention. This study focuses on a widely used analytical tool -…

Data in social and behavioral sciences typically contain measurement errors and do not have predefined metrics. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is widely used for the analysis of such data, where the scales of the manifest and latent variables are often subjective. This article studies how the model, parameter estimates, their standard errors…

A multiple testing procedure for examining implications of the missing completely at random (MCAR) mechanism in incomplete data sets is discussed. The approach uses the false discovery rate concept and is concerned with testing group differences on a set of variables. The method can be used for ascertaining violations of MCAR and disproving this…

Testing factorial invariance has recently gained more attention in different social science disciplines. Nevertheless, when examining factorial invariance, it is generally assumed that the observations are independent of each other, which might not be always true. In this study, we examined the impact of testing factorial invariance in multilevel…

A readily implemented procedure is discussed for interval estimation of indexes of interrelationship between items from multiple-component measuring instruments as well as between items and total composite scores. The method is applicable with categorical (ordinal) observed variables, and can be widely used in the process of scale construction,…

In social science research, an indirect effect occurs when the influence of an antecedent variable on the effect variable is mediated by an intervening variable. To compare indirect effects within a sample or across different samples, structural equation modeling (SEM) can be used if the computer program supports model fitting with nonlinear…

A didactic discussion of a latent variable modeling approach is presented that addresses frequent empirical concerns of social, behavioral, and educational researchers involved in longitudinal studies. The method is suitable when the purpose is to analyze repeated measure data along several interrelated dimensions and to explain some of the…

Both structural equation modeling (SEM) and item response theory (IRT) can be used for factor analysis of dichotomous item responses. In this case, the measurement models of both approaches are formally equivalent. They were refined within and across different disciplines, and make complementary contributions to central measurement problems…

Two-level data sets are frequently encountered in social and behavioral science research. They arise when observations are drawn from a known hierarchical structure, as when individuals are randomly drawn from groups that are randomly drawn from a target population. When the covariance structures in the group level and the individual level are the…