Exact Exploratory Bi-factor Analysis: A Constraint-Based Optimization Approach.

ABSTRACT: Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis widely used in psychological and educational measurement. The use of a bi-factor model requires specifying an explicit bi-factor structure on the relationship between the observed variables and the group factors. In practice, the bi-factor structure is sometimes unknown, in which case, an exploratory form of bi-factor analysis is needed. Unfortunately, there are few methods for exploratory bi-factor analysis, with the exception of a rotation-based method proposed in Jennrich and Bentler ([2011, Psychometrika 76, pp. 537-549], [2012, Psychometrika 77, pp. 442-454]). However, the rotation method does not yield an exact bi-factor loading structure, even after hard thresholding. In this article, we propose a constraint-based optimiza

SUBMITTER: Qiao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12483720 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature