Latent structure

Bifactor Model (General and Specific Factors)

The bifactor measurement model specifies that every indicator loads simultaneously on a single general factor and on one of several specific (group) factors. Formally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford in 1937 and brought into mainstream psychometrics by Reise (2012), it is now the standard tool for evaluating whether a multidimensional scale can legitimately yield a single composite score.

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Sources

  1. Reise, S. P. (2012). The Rediscovery of Bifactor Measurement Models. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 47(5), 667–696. DOI: 10.1080/00273171.2012.715555
  2. Rodriguez, A., Reise, S. P. & Haviland, M. G. (2016). Evaluating Bifactor Models: Calculating and Interpreting Statistical Indices. Psychological Methods, 21(2), 137–150. DOI: 10.1037/met0000045

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Referenced by

ScholarGateBifactor Model (Bifactor Measurement Model). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/psychometrics/bifactor-model