Factor Structure of the Graduate Record Examinations General Test in Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Groups

We used confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the structure of the Graduate Record Examinations General Test across handicapped and nonhandicapped groups. A simple three-factor model, consisting of verbal, quantitative, and analytical item types, was posed and tested for model fit. In addition...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied psychology 1988-08, Vol.73 (3), p.383-392
Main Authors: Rock, Donald A, Bennett, Randy Elliot, Jirele, Thomas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Achievement
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Blindness - psychology
College Students
Disabled Persons - psychology
Educational Measurement
Educational psychology
Factor Structure
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Graduate Record Examination
Human
Humans
Male
Orientation. Evaluation
Physical Disorders
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Vision Disorders
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Summary:We used confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the structure of the Graduate Record Examinations General Test across handicapped and nonhandicapped groups. A simple three-factor model, consisting of verbal, quantitative, and analytical item types, was posed and tested for model fit. In addition, a higher order factor solution was computed to investigate the meaning of General Test total scores and to probe observed discrepancies in factor structure. Results suggested that the three-factor model fit better than simpler models but less well than a four-factor solution. The three-factor model showed particular problems in fit for visually impaired students taking a large-type examination and for physically impaired examinees taking a standard administration. For these groups, the item types composing the Analytical factor did not appear to function effectively as a single factor. For the large-type group, in particular, these item types exhibited different relations with the other factors, had different relations with the test's general factor, and appeared to produce different scale units. Results suggest that Analytical scores and total scores (Verbal + Quantitative + Analytical) may have different meanings across handicapped and nonhandicapped groups.
ISSN:0021-9010
1939-1854
DOI:10.1037/0021-9010.73.3.383