Structural Equation Modeling techniques were used to clarify the relationship between marital characteristics, marital processes, and the dependent variable--marital satisfaction--in a sample of 201 participants who were in 1st marriages. The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; G. B. Spanier, 1976) and the Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues,…

Information fit indexes such as Akaike Information Criterion, Consistent Akaike Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion, and the expected cross validation index can be valuable in assessing the relative fit of structural equation models that differ regarding restrictiveness. In cases in which models without mean restrictions (i.e.,…

Structural equation modeling (SEM) has become increasingly popular for analyzing data in the social sciences, although several broad reviews of psychology journals suggest that many SEM researchers engage in questionable practices when using the technique. The purpose of this study is to review and critique the use of SEM in counseling psychology…

The four reactions in the May 2005 issue of "The Counseling Psychologist" address several considerations regarding the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) in counseling psychology research, including its appropriateness for analyzing one's data and testing one versus multiple theoretical models. In addition, points that are not mentioned in…

Theories of attitude change have failed to identify the architecture of interattitudinal structures and relate it to attitude change. This article examines two models (a hierarchical and a spatial-linkage model) of interattitudinal structure that explicitly posit consequences for attitude change. An experiment (N=391) was conducted that…

Social scientists have documented the influence of family statuses on volunteering, ignoring intrafamily effects. Using newly issued data from the Current Population Survey on the volunteer behavior of 19,626 American couples, we test two competing theories concerning spousal influences on volunteering. Substitution theory predicts that spouses…

In many instances it is reasonable to assume that the population covariance matrix has positive elements. This assumption implies for the single factor analysis model that the loadings and regression weights for best linear factor prediction are positive. For the multiple factor analysis model where each variable loads on a single factor and a…

This paper examines the relationship between span memory [e.g., immediate memory, short-term memory (STM), simple span] and general ability ("g") though a reanalysis of two data sets [Christal, R. E. (1959). "Factor analytic study of visual memory." "Psychological Monographs: General and Applied," 72 (13, Whole No. 466); Kelley, H.P. (1964).…

Recent research with the Memory Compensation Questionnaire (MCQ) has examined changes, functions, and correlates of compensatory strategy use in older adults. The twofold aim of this study was to test (a) the hypothesized structure of the MCQ and (b) structural equivalence across age, gender, and time. The 7-scale MCQ was designed to measure 5…

Discretized multivariate normal structural models are often estimated using multistage estimation procedures. The asymptotic properties of parameter estimates, standard errors, and tests of structural restrictions on thresholds and polychoric correlations are well known. It was not clear how to assess the overall discrepancy between the…

This study explores the deployment of electronic portfolios to a university-wide cohort of freshman undergraduates that included a subgroup of at-risk and lower academically prepared learners. Five evaluative dimensions based on persistence and engagement theory were included in the development of four assessment rubrics exploring goal clarity,…

The purpose of this study was to construct a profile of K-12 music teachers in the United States and develop a model to predict their retention, turnover, and attrition. Responses to the "Schools and Staffing Survey" from 47,857 K-12 public and private school teachers, including 1,903 music teachers, were analyzed using comparative…

Ecodevelopmental theory is a theoretical framework used to explain the interplay among risk and protective processes associated with HIV risk behaviors among adolescents. Although ecodevelopmentally based interventions have been found to be efficacious in preventing HIV risk behaviors among Hispanic youth, this theory has not yet been directly…

Given the importance of student engagement for healthy outcomes, research needs to investigate whether school-based assets promote student engagement beyond individual and family influences. Unfortunately, such research has been limited by a lack of valid instrumentation. After examining the psychometrics of the California Healthy Kids Survey…

Researchers have long been interested in understanding factors affecting student achievement. To contribute new insights to the literature, this study investigated grade-level differences in the relationships of students' perceived academic support (from parents, teachers and peers) to academic achievement directly and also indirectly through…