Structural Equation Modeling A Multidisciplinary Journal · 1996 · 667 citations · 23 references
Social SciencesPsychologyItem Response TheoryPsychometricsScale DevelopmentModel Fit AssessmentStructural Equation ModelingComparative Fit IndexFit CriteriaFit Index EvaluationGoodness-of-fit IndicesIndexesModel Fit ComparisonNoncentral DistributionsParsimony
The article compares Bentler’s Confirmatory Fit Index (CFI) and Steiger and Lind’s Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), noting that while both relate to the noncentral chi‑square distribution, CFI has been more widely used and RMSEA has only recently gained attention. The authors argue that CFI’s reliance on a baseline model makes its use problematic. They conclude that CFI is better suited for exploratory analyses, whereas RMSEA is preferable for confirmatory studies, and that CFI’s parsimony adjustment is more established than RMSEA’s, which may be inadequate.
This article compares two structural equation modeling fit indexes—Bentler's ( 1990; Bentler & Bonett, 1980) Confirmatory Fit Index (CFI) and Steiger and Lind's (1980; Browne & Cudeck, 1993) Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA). These two fit indexes are both conceptually linked to the noncentral chi‐square distribution, but CFI has seen much wider use in applied research, whereas RMSEA has only recently been gaining attention. The article suggests that use of CFI is problematic because of its baseline model. CFI seems to be appropriate in more exploratory contexts, whereas RMSEA is appropriate in more confirmatory contexts. On the other hand, CFI does have an established parsimony adjustment, although the adjustment included in RMSEA may be inadequate.
23
Alternative Ways of Assessing Model Fit
Michael W. Browne, Robert Cudeck · Sociological Methods & Research · 1992 · 25.2K citations
Comparative fit indexes in structural models.
Peter M. Bentler · Psychological Bulletin · 1990 · 23.9K citations