Recently, a question was raised as to whether the multidimensionality of some professional licensing exams is due to the administration of subtests measuring conceptually distinct skills or, alternatively, strategic preparation on the part of groups of examinees attempting to cope with the demands of multiple hurdle certification systems. This…

Confirming a relationship between the social construct of deviance and creativity was the focus of this study. Two hundred and sixty-eight university students were administered assessments designed to elicit tendencies toward both creativity and deviant behavior. Their responses were factor analyzed and results indicated a seven-factor structure…

This study used a confirmatory factor model to distinguish pure and co-occurring dimensions of proactive and reactive aggression, and examined the relation between parenting variables and these dimensions of aggression in a sample of 100 children (9 to 12 years of age; 69 boys). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported 3 dimensions of…

This article describes a factor analytically derived, self-report instrument - the Schedule of Compulsions, Obsessions, and Pathological Impulses (SCOPI) - using data from college students, adults, psychiatric outpatients, and patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The five SCOPI scales all are internally consistent (with coefficient…

Based on a sample of 1,218 students in the 10th and 11th grades, 14 variables measuring behavioral and emotional problems were modeled as four factors via confirmatory factor analysis. The factors were labeled Polydrug Use, Delinquency, Negative Affect, and Academic Orientation. A similar four-factor structure was supported 1 year later, and a…

Past attempts to model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) intersubtest covariation have used an oblique factor or a higher order modeling approach. The attempts have failed to yield adequate model fit, based on current CFA recommendations. Using the WAIS-R standardization data, it is…

Most psychologists and educators assume that intelligence is a linear construct, meaning that smart people simply have more intelligence than their less gifted peers. Likewise, individuals with mental retardation are thought to have less intelligence. In contrast to this widely accepted belief, the authors posed an alternative hypothesis--that…

A simple modification substantially simplifies the use of the gradient projection (GP) rotation algorithms of Jennrich (2001, 2002). These algorithms require subroutines to compute the value and gradient of any specific rotation criterion of interest. The gradient can be difficult to derive and program. It is shown that using numerical gradients…

Factor analysis allows researchers to conduct exploratory analyses of latent variables, reduce data in large datasets, and test specific models. The purpose of this paper is to review common uses of factor analysis, provide general guidelines for best practices, illustrate these guidelines with examples using previously published self-concept…

Statistics anxiety is hypothesized to be a closely related but a distinct construct from mathematics anxiety. However, many incorrectly conceive that statistics anxiety is the same construct as mathematics anxiety. Confusing statistics anxiety and mathematics anxiety is common among students as well as researchers. Frequent appearance of…

Structural equation modeling (SEM) can be adapted in a relatively straightforward fashion to analyze data from interchangeable dyads (i.e., dyads in which the 2 members cannot be differentiated). The authors describe a general strategy for SEM model estimation, comparison, and fit assessment that can be used with either dyad-level or pairwise…

Evidence in literature indicates that Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers is essential in creating effective schools. Since 2001 the implementation of education legislation and policies has progressively shifted the new agenda within a transformation framework aimed at reconstructing the education system to the fore. The many…

This study examines ability of an interdisciplinary group project to develop student's abilities to work successfully in groups in a creative context. Group dynamics were investigated via interaction effects between students in a Graphic Design and Marketing class project. A repeated measures survey technique was used to assess student's…

Much research has been done on the effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction programs, (Peer Assisted Study Sessions, PASS, in Australasia). Less research has emerged on on students' reasons for participating in PASS and their perceptions of the effectiveness of the program. In this article, we will report on a small improvement-focused research…

This paper describes the research conducted in relating to emotional intelligence of university staff to work attitude. The Emotional Intelligence (EI) Scale devised by Schutte et al. (1998) is used in this study, which is more suitable compared to BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory. Beside their experiences, knowledge and skills, emotion play an…