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

• 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
• ISSN: 0021-9010; 1939-1854
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.73.3.383

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.