Detecting non-content-based response styles in survey data: An application of mixture factor analysis

In this study, we propose a specification of factor mixture analysis (FMA) to detect nCB responses. We investigated the usefulness and effectiveness of the FMA model in detecting nCB responses using both simulated data (Study 1) and real data (Study 2). In the first study, FMA showed reasonably robust sensitivity (.60 to .86) and excellent specificity (.96 to .99) on mixed-worded scales, suggesting that FMA had superior properties as a screening tool under different sample conditions. However, FMA performance was poor on scales composed of only positive items because of the difficulty in distinguishing acquiescent patterns from valid responses representing high levels of the trait. In Study 2 (real data), FMA detected a minority of cases (6.5%) with highly anomalous response patterns. Removing these cases resulted in a large increase in the fit of the unidimensional model and a substantial reduction in spurious multidimensionality.PMID:38129734 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-023-02308-w

Source: Behavior Research Methods - December 22, 2023 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: V íctor B Arias Fernando P Ponce Luis E Garrido Mar ía Dolores Nieto-Cañaveras Agust ín Martínez-Molina Benito Arias Source Type: research