Applied Structural

Equation Modeling
for Dummies, by Dummies
February 22, 2013
Indiana University, Bloomington

Joseph J. Sudano, Jr., PhD

Center for Health Care Research and Policy
Case Western Reserve University at The MetroHealth System

Adam T. Perzynski, PhD

Center for Health Care Research and Policy
Case Western Reserve University at The MetroHealth System

Thanks So Much!!
Acknowledgements:
Bill Pridemore PhD
Adam Perzynski PhD
David W. Baker MD
Randy Cebul MD
Fred Wolinsky PhD
No conflicts of interest (but I wish there
were some major financial ones!)
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Presentation Outline
Conceptual overview.
What is SEM?
Basic idea underpinning SEM
Major applications
Shared characteristics among SEM techniques
Terms, nomenclature, symbols, vocabulary
Basic SEM example
Sample size, other issues and model fit
Software and texts
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What Is Structural Equation Modeling?

SEM: very general, very powerful
multivariate technique.
Specialized versions of other analysis
methods.

Major applications of SEM:

Causal modeling or path analysis.

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Second order factor analysis.
Covariance structure models.
Correlation structure models.
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Advantages of SEM Compared to

Multiple Regression
More flexible modeling
Uses CFA to correct for measurement error
Attractive graphical modeling interface
Testing models overall vs. individual
coefficients
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What are its Advantages?

Test models with multiple dependent
variables
Ability to model mediating variables
Ability to model error terms

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What are its Advantages?

Test coefficients across multiple betweensubjects groups
Ability to handle difficult data
Longitudinal with auto-correlated error
Multi-level data
Non-normal data
Incomplete data
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Shared Characteristics of SEM Methods

SEM is a priori
Think in terms of models and
hypotheses
Forces the investigator to provide lots
of information
which variables affect others
directionality of effect
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Shared Characteristics of SEM Methods

SEM allows distinctions between
observed and latent variables
Basic statistic in SEM in the covariance
Not just for non-experimental data
View many standard statistical
procedures as special cases of SEM
Statistical significance less important
than for more standard techniques
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Terms, Nomenclature, Symbols, and

Vocabulary (Not Necessarily in That Order)

Variance = s2
Standard deviation = s
Correlation = r
Covariance = sXY = COV(X,Y)
Disturbance = D
X

Measurement error = e or E
A

E
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Terms, Nomenclature, Symbols,

and Vocabulary
Experimental research
independent and dependent variables.
Non-experimental research
predictor and criterion variables
Observed (or manifest)
Latent (or factors)
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Terms, Nomenclature, Symbols,

and Vocabulary
Exogenous

of external origin
Outside the model

Endogenous

of internal origin
Inside the model

Direct effects
Reciprocal effects
Correlation or
covariance
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Terms, Nomenclature, Symbols,

and Vocabulary
Measurement model
That part of a SEM model dealing with
latent variables and indicators.

Structural model
Contrasted with the above
Set of exogenous and endogenous
variables in the model with arrows and
disturbance terms
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Measurement Model: Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Observed or manifest variables
D1

Psychosocial
health

Hostility

e1

Hopelessness

e2

GHQ

e3

Self-rated health

e4

Latent construct or factor

Singh-Manoux, Clark and Marmot. 2002. Multiple measures of socio-economic
position and psychosocial health: proximal and distal measures.

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Structural Model with Additional Variables

Observed or manifest variables
Education

Occupation

D1

Psychosocial
health

Income

Hostility

e1

Hopelessness

e2

GHQ

e3

Self-rated health

e4

Latent construct or factor

Singh-Manoux, Clark and Marmot. 2002. Multiple measures of socio-economic
position and psychosocial health: proximal and distal measures.

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Causal Modeling or Path Analysis and

Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Education
a= direct effect
b+c=indirect
Income

Hostility

e1

Hopelessness

e2

GHQ

e3

Self-rated health

e4

Psychosocial
health

D1
D3

Occupation
D2

Singh-Manoux, Clark and Marmot. 2002. Multiple measures of socioeconomic position and psychosocial health: proximal and distal measures.

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What Sample Size is Enough

for SEM?
The same as for regression*
More is pretty much always better
Some fit indexes are sensitive to small
samples

*Unless you do things that are fancy!

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Whats a Good Model?

Fit measures:
Chi-square test
CFI (Comparative Fit Index)
RMSE (Root Mean Square Error)
TLI (Tucker Lewis Index)
GFI (Goodness of Fit Index)
And many, many, many more
IFI, NFI, AIC, CIAC, BIC, BCC
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How Many Indicators Do I Need?

That depends
How many do you have? (e.g.,
secondary data analysis)
A prior concerns
Scale development standards
Subject burden
More is often NOT better
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Software
LISREL 9.1 from SSI (Scientific Software
International)
IBMs SPSS Amos
EQS (Multivariate Software)
Mplus (Linda and Bengt Muthen)
CALIS (module from SAS)
Statas new sem module
R (lavaan and sem modules)
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SPSS Amos Screenshot

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Stata Screenshot

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Texts (and a reference)

Barbara M. Byrne (2012): Structural Equation Modeling with

Mplus, Routledge Press
She also has an earlier work using Amos

Rex Kline (2010): Principles and Practice of Structural Equation

Modeling, Guilford Press
Niels Blunch (2012): Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling
Using IBM SPSS Statistics and Amos, Sage Publications
James L. Arbuckle (2012): IBM SPSS Amos 21 Users Guide,
IBM Corporation (free from the Web)
Rick H. Hoyle (2012): Handbook of Structural Equation
Modeling, Guilford Press
Great fit index site:
http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=277
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Thanks So Much Again!!

Questions????

jsudano@metrohealth.org

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