Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Imaginative Capability Scale Across Sex

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Abstract

This study examined the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Imaginative Capability Scale (ICS) among U.S. undergraduates (N = 1,000). Confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model (i.e., Initiating, Conceiving, and Transforming). After evaluating multiple CFA models, a final 25-item model with strong fit was retained. Measurement invariance testing across sex supported configural and metric invariance, but scalar and strict invariance were not fully met. A partial scalar model, allowing key intercepts to vary, demonstrated improved fit and fairness across binary sex. Findings support a refined ICS model for use in Western contexts and highlight the importance of testing measurement invariance for constructs of imagination. Implications for cross-cultural validity and future psychometric refinement are discussed.

Authors

• Lindsay Ellis Lee, Advanced Learning Research & Consulting, LLC

• Kristen N. Lamb, University of Alabama