Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Advancing Dyslexia Assessment in Children Through Computerized Testing
Published on: August 16, 2024
Residual-based diagnostics for structural equation models
B N Sánchez1, E A Houseman, L M Ryan
1Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, USA. brisa@umich.edu
New goodness-of-fit tests for structural equation models (SEMs) improve assumption checking. These methods, using subject-specific residuals, enhance diagnostic capabilities for latent variable models, offering graphical displays and simulation-based statistics.
Area of Science:
- Statistics
- Psychometrics
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Classical diagnostics for structural equation models (SEMs) rely on aggregate data, limiting their ability to assess distributional and linearity assumptions.
- Existing goodness-of-fit tests for correlated data often do not adequately address the complexities of latent variable models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend recent goodness-of-fit tests for correlated data to structural equation models (SEMs) with latent variables.
- To develop diagnostic tools for SEMs that can detect misspecified distributional or linearity assumptions.
- To provide methods suitable for graphical displays and complemented by simulation-based test statistics.
Main Methods:
- Developed goodness-of-fit tests for structural equation models (SEMs) utilizing subject-specific residuals.
- Defined test statistics and approximated their null distributions using computationally efficient simulation techniques.
- Employed graphical displays to complement the test statistics for assumption checking.
Main Results:
- The proposed tests effectively extend goodness-of-fit diagnostics to structural equation models (SEMs) with latent variables.
- Simulation studies demonstrated favorable properties of the new tests.
- The methods are capable of detecting misspecified distributional or linearity assumptions.
Conclusions:
- The newly developed goodness-of-fit tests offer enhanced diagnostic capabilities for structural equation models (SEMs), particularly those with latent variables.
- These methods provide a valuable supplement to existing diagnostic tools, aiding in the assessment of model assumptions.
- The approach was successfully illustrated using real-world data from a study on in utero lead exposure.
Related Concept Videos
Residual Plots
When the residual values are plotted against the variable x, it is called a residual...
Residuals and Least-Squares Property
If the observed data point lies above the line, the residual is positive, and the line underestimates the actual data value for y. If the observed data point lies below the line, the residual is negative, and the line overestimates the actual data value for y.
The process of fitting the best-fit...
Friedman Two-way Analysis of Variance by Ranks
Econometric Views (EViews)
Expected Frequencies in Goodness-of-Fit Tests
Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis

