Longitudinal Factor Structure of General Self-Concept and Locus of Control Among High School Students

• In Event: Research Using Longitudinal Data: Latest in Longitudinal Data Systems Used, Topics Studied, and Methods Applied

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal factor structure of general self-concept and locus of control among high school students, with data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). We tested measurement invariance over time and across gender and ethnicity groups, and applied second-order piecewise latent growth models to study changes. In all analyses, we treated Likert-scale items as ordered-categorical variables and used methodology accordingly. The findings suggested that measurement invariance existed over time and across groups. However, the amount of general self-concept and locus of control changed over time and/or differed across groups.

Authors

• Ze Wang, University of Missouri

• Ihui Su, University of Missouri - Columbia