One question that applied researchers often ask me is: What can I do when my confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) or structural equation model (SEM) shows a suboptimal model fit (for example, a large and highly significant chi-square value)? First of all, it is often useful to rethink the model and to consider ways in which […]

Tips and cautions for “just-identified” models Many researchers are confused about just identified or saturated models in CFA and SEM and how they relate to model degrees of freedom (df), model testing, and parameter interpretation. You probably use just identified statistical models routinely in your work outside of the formal CFA/SEM world even though you