Journal Article

Improved Representation of the Self-Perception Profile for Children Through Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

Morin, Alexandre J. S., Arens, A. Katrin

2017

Overview

This study illustrates an integrative psychometric framework to investigate two sources of construct-relevant multidimensionality in answers to the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC). Using a sample of 2,353 German students attending Grades 3 to 6, we contrasted: (a) first-order versus hierarchical and bifactor models to investigate construct-relevant multidimensionality related to the hierarchical nature of multidimensional selfconceptions and (b) confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and exploratory structural equation models (ESEM) to investigate construct-relevant multidimensionality related to the assessment of conceptually related constructs. The bifactor-ESEM solution provided the best fit, suggesting the presence of both sources of construct-relevant psychometric multidimensionality. The results supported measurement invariance of the SPPC across gender and grade level and showed latent mean differences mostly supporting results from previous research.

• Publisher: SAGE Publications,American Educational Research Association
• Subject: Age Differences / Children / Educational psychology / Educational research / Elementary School Students / Error of Measurement / Factor Analysis / Foreign Countries / Gender Differences / Goodness of Fit / Hierarchical Linear Modeling / Maximum Likelihood Statistics / Primary education / Profiles / Psychometrics / Quantitative psychology / Self Concept / Self Concept Measures / Self image / Structural equation modeling / Structural Equation Models / Student assessment