Exploratory factor analysis in Rehabilitation Psychology: a content analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Rehabilitation Psychology
• Quantitative Methods

Background:

• Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is a statistical method used to identify underlying structures in data.
• Its application in Rehabilitation Psychology is crucial for developing and validating measurement instruments.
• However, the quality and adherence to best practices in published EFAs require examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utilization and methodological quality of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) in Rehabilitation Psychology.
• To identify common practices and deviations from established guidelines in published research.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of 66 Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFAs) from 47 articles published in Rehabilitation Psychology between 1999 and April 2014.
• Trained raters evaluated aspects including the aim of EFA, sample size, factor retention methods, extraction and rotation techniques, and reporting of coefficients.

Main Results:

• The primary application of EFA was scale development.
• Principle component analysis with varimax rotation was the most frequently used extraction and rotation method.
• While multiple factor retention methods were common, many articles lacked sufficient detail for result replication.

Conclusions:

• Few published EFAs in Rehabilitation Psychology fully adhere to best practice guidelines.
• Author choices in factor retention, extraction, and rotation methods significantly influence results.
• Recommendations are provided to enhance EFA reporting standards in the field.