Fit Indices and Model Modification in Structural Equation Modeling : A Review and new findings

Abstract

Inthispaperwesurveyedseveralfitindices,modelmodificationmethods,andotherrelated previousstudiesinstructuralequationmodeling. Inconsistencyinresultswasdetectedfrom the review oftheliterature. Toobtainmorereliableknowledge,weperformedsimulationstudies sometentimeslargerinscalethanpreviousstudiestoexaminethesoundnessofGolden Rules andtherelationshipbetweenindices. Also,biasinthedistributionoflikelihoodratiostatistics whichdependsbothsamplesizeandmodelcomplextywasindicatedasaresultofanotherlarge simulationstudy. Thiscouldbeoneofthecausesofinconsistencyinformerstudiesoffit indices. Wealsoexaminedfitindicesforstructuralequationmodelingwithmeanstructure, multiplegroupsandcategoricalindicators. Stepwiseestimationmethods,modelmodification methods,andItem Parceling Issues werealsoreviewed.