Abstract
In social sciences, it is common to hypothesize that latent factors (such as psychological well-being) underlie the observed variables (such as depression and risk behavior). Hence, it is important to examine the nature of latent variables, the inter-relationships among such variables, and their associations with other predictor as well as outcome variables. These latent variable-related issues can be well addressed by adopting the approach of structural equation modeling. In this chapter, the use of structural equation modeling in research on human development is described. The assumptions underlying structural equation modeling, steps of model construction and model assessment, and both the strengths and limitations of this method in human development research are described. Finally, some examples using structural equation modeling in the Chinese contexts are also illustrated.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Human Developmental Research |
| Subtitle of host publication | Experience from Research in Hong Kong |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 3-19 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781628081671 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781628081664 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)