St. James Ballroom
Using Factor Analysis to Help Educators Evaluate Psychosocial Interventions (303922)
Catherine Good, Baruch College
Emma Mayville, University of Michigan
Mollie Rich, Turnaround for Children
*Letisha Smith, New York University
Keywords: factor analysis, psychometrics, education
In the 21st century, the positive psychology movement has led educators to consider the impact of socio-emotional intelligence on academic achievement. However, quantifying the impact of factors like self-regulation, mindset, and school attachment on academic outcomes can be challenging for primary schools operating in districts that place a premium on standardized assessment. Therefore, schools have the dual challenge of identifying best practices in measuring latent domains and linking these skills to student outcomes. Fortunately, factor analysis and structural equation models aid in identifying relationships between nebulous concepts, which can be measured by varying criteria. This poster outlines challenges that come when measures from survey scales fail to measure latent domains that educators aim to target and how exploratory & confirmatory factor analysis can be used to still elucidate meaningful relationships in the data.