Evaluating the Use of Exploratory Factor Analysis in Developmental Disability Psychological Research

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 8 - 20
• Main Authors: Norris, Megan, Lecavalier, Luc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.01.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Autism; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child and School Psychology; Developmental Disabilities; Developmental Disabilities - diagnosis; Developmental Disabilities - psychology; Disability; Eigenvalues; Error of Measurement; Exploratory factor analysis; Factor Analysis; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Factor Structure; Humans; Medical sciences; Methodology. Experimentation; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Periodicals; Principal component analysis; Principal components analysis; Principals; Psychological research; Psychological Studies; Psychology; Psychology - methods; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Health; Research Design; Research Methodology; Resistance (Psychology); Rotation; Statistical analysis; Statistics; Techniques and methods; Variables; Pervasive developmental disorder; Exploratory factor analysis; Intellectual disability; Review; Methods; Developmental disability; Handicap; Human; Factor analysis; Statistical analysis; Methodology; Developmental disorder; Mental retardation; Recommendation; Scientific literature; Intellectual deficiency; Critical study
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-009-0816-2

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is a widely used but poorly understood statistical procedure. This paper described EFA and its methodological variations. Then, key methodological variations were used to evaluate EFA usage over a 10-year period in five leading developmental disabilities journals. Sixty-six studies were located and evaluated on multiple procedural variations. Only 35% ( n  = 23) of studies used EFA; principal components analysis was the model used most often ( n  = 40, 61%). Orthogonal rotation was used most often ( n  = 39, 59%). A large portion of studies ran analyses with a subject: item ratio larger than 5:1 ( n  = 49, 74%). Most researchers employed multiple criteria for retaining factors ( n  = 45, 68%). Overall, results indicated that published recommendations and guidelines for the use of EFA are largely ignored.