A multi-group structural equation modelling investigation of the measurement invariance of the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS) across gender groups in South Africa
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The choice of career path could create a stressful situation for many individuals. \nResearchers seem to agree that if a person is able to find fit between what they would like \nto do and what a job (work environment) involves then a person is likely to perform their \nchosen occupation well. Interest assessment is a method that assists in making personal \nand organisational career related decisions. The Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS, \nCampbell, Hyne & Nilsen, 1992) is a well-known interest assessment instrument that can \nbe used for such decisions. Even though interest assessment can assist, these \ninstruments have been criticised for being gender biased and typically forcing people into \nstereotypical gendered type occupations. Bias is indicated as nuisance factors that \nthreaten the validity of cross-group (cultural) comparisons (Van de Vijver & Leung, 1997). \nThese nuisance factors could be due to construct bias, method bias and/or item bias. \nTherefore, due to the importance of the decisions made, it would seem essential that the \ninformation provided by test results apply equally across different reference groups – this \nwould imply equivalent measurement. Equivalence is achieved at three levels: Configural, \nmetric and scalar (Vandenberg & Lance, 2000; Vandenberg, 2002). Full measurement \ninvariance (achieved when scalar invariance is found) implies the ability to compare \nobserved scores directly. By making use of confirmatory factor analytic techniques \nsuggested by Vandenberg and Lance (2000), increasing constraints of equivalence were \nproposed for the CISS measurement model. While adequate model fit was found for the \nCISS Basic scales, the sample size did not afford independent gender sample \nconfirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and consequent measurement invariance tests to be \nconducted on the Basic scales. The CISS Orientation scales were then subjected to CFA \non the combined gender sample and then were subjected to independent CFAs on the \nseparate gender samples. Unfortunately poor model fit was found at this global level of \nmeasurement in the CISS. This prevented the researcher from completing the necessary \nmeasurement invariance tests on the Orientation scales for the CISS. The implications of \nthe results are discussed, limitations are indicated and areas for further research are \nhighlighted.
Author: Clayton Donnelly
Language: English
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2149754589