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Structural Equation Modeling
for Health and Medicine
Chapman & Hall/CRC Biostatistics Series
Series Editors:
Shein-Chung Chow, Duke University School of Medicine, USA
Byron Jones, Novartis Pharma AG, Switzerland
Jen-pei Liu, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Karl E. Peace, Georgia Southern University, USA
Bruce W. Turnbull, Cornell University, USA
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Structural Equation Modeling for Health and Medicine
Douglas D. Gunzler, Adam T. Perzynski and Adam C. Carle
Douglas D. Gunzler
Population Health Research Institute
Center for Health Care Research and Policy
The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
Adam T. Perzynski
Population Health Research Institute
Center for Health Care Research and Policy
The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
Adam C. Carle
James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence
Department of Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati, Ohio
and
Department of Psychology
University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences
Cincinnati, Ohio
First edition published 2021
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
Te right of Douglas D. Gunzler, Adam T. Perzynski and Adam C. Carle to be identifed as the authors of the editorial
material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Reasonable eforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. Te authors and publishers
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Typeset in Palatino
by codeMantra
Contents
Preface............................................................................................................................................ xiii
Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................... xvii
Authors.......................................................................................................................................... xix
Table of Greek Symbols............................................................................................................... xxi
Part I
I ntroduction to Concepts and Principles of Structural
Equation Modeling for Health and Medical Research
1 Introduction and Brief History of Structural Equation Modeling for Health
and Medical Research.............................................................................................................3
1.1 An Overview of the Material in This Textbook......................................................... 3
1.2 Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling.........................................................4
1.2.1 Path Diagrams, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Path Analysis...........5
1.2.2 How Do Classic Approaches to SEM Analysis Work?................................ 6
1.2.3 First- and Second-Generation SEM................................................................ 6
1.3 Introduction to Causal Assumptions and Path Diagrams.......................................8
1.3.1 A Note about Error Terms in Path Diagrams...............................................9
1.3.2 Path Analysis Model........................................................................................9
1.3.3 Full Structural Equation Model.................................................................... 10
1.4 Brief History of SEM.................................................................................................... 11
1.5 Health and Medical Research Studies...................................................................... 12
1.5.1 SEM in Health and Medicine........................................................................ 13
1.5.2 A Contrarian View of SEMs: Can Causal Claims Be Justified
When Using SEM Approaches?.................................................................... 15
1.6 Conclusions................................................................................................................... 15
References................................................................................................................................ 15
The book came about due to a series of workshops and panels on structural equation
modeling (SEM) we presented at national health services research and medical decision-
making meetings. Our initial workshop goal was to satisfy the curiosity of graduate
students, faculty, industry professionals and other attendees and help them gain a solid
understanding of the introductory principles of SEM. However, it became clear to us dur-
ing both question and answer portions and informal post-lecture discussion that many
attendees still needed a deeper understanding of how to apply these techniques with par-
ticular health and medical studies in mind. The problems and questions from our health
science audience did not follow “linearly” from the typical introductory SEM examples for
the social sciences. A classic example [1] that appears often in SEM introductions, manu-
als and tutorials describes the relationships between alienation and background variables
such as education and occupation. While concepts such as alienation are familiar to many
sociologists and other social scientists, they may be less helpful at the introductory stage
for researchers studying health and medicine.
Health and medical researchers use a wide variety of data sources, including complex
and messy real-world data. Study designs are also highly variable. Translating a concep-
tual model into a formal structural equation model under the boundaries of a study can be
diffcult in practice. Likewise, output from software for the analysis of structural equation
models (SEMs) commonly requires thorough review and interpretation. Careful consid-
eration of theory, logic and prior literature is mandatory (as with all SEM research). Thus,
our workshops and panels over time became adapted to showcase the methods for more
nuanced examples in health and medicine.
We, ourselves, learned SEM in traditional graduate school programs in biostatistics, soci-
ology and psychology. However, countless hours thinking about how to analyze data with
SEM as faculty in departments in schools of medicine over the past decade have shaped
our views and presentation of SEM for this textbook. This collaboration between the three
authors of this textbook is refective of our recommended usages of SEM for health and
medicine. Most of our applications of SEM have been done using a team science approach.
Team science is a collaborative effort from a group of researchers to address a scien-
tifc challenge. In team science a research group leverages the strengths and expertise of
each of the individuals trained in different felds. In a cross-disciplinary (e.g. interdisciplin-
ary, multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary) approach within team science a research group with
expertise in different felds work together to combine or integrate their perspectives with
a purpose in mind (e.g. addressing the research aims of a study). In a multidisciplinary
approach, researchers draw from multiple disciplines to redefne problems and reach solu-
tions. However, the researchers remain within the boundaries of the different disciplines.
An interdisciplinary approach integrates separate disciplines into a coordinated and coher-
ent whole. A transdisciplinary approach transcends the pre-conceived boundaries of the
different disciplines and refers to learning that is authentic and relevant to the real world
[2]. Rather than being confned by traditional ways of thinking about research problems,
learning in the transdisciplinary approach is supported and enriched by them. For exam-
ple, a non-clinician could take part in a comprehensive clinical observership of patients
with a condition under study (e.g. multiple sclerosis or lung cancer), under the supervision
of a clinician, to better understand the emotional, mental and physical symptoms of the
xiii
xiv Preface
condition. The training activity is useful for the later development of a transdisciplinary
conceptual model for persons with the condition under study as well as recommendations
for implementing the analytic results in clinical application [3].
More generally, researchers using SEM in health and medicine can beneft from a team
science approach. The team can work together in designing the study under appropriate
boundaries and make suitable study assumptions. Further, the experts of different disci-
plines under the guidance of a primary investigator (or investigators) can collaboratively
develop conceptual models, specify measurement and structural models, interpret output
and draw ftting study conclusions. In the SEM examples presented throughout this book,
answering diffcult research questions required the integration of perspectives and exper-
tise across disciplines.
Our goal with this textbook is to both introduce SEM and then present illustrative appli-
cations with software that can be used for the analysis of SEMs (e.g. Mplus, AMOS). We
use the nomenclature SEM in this textbook for a diverse set of methods incorporating a
combination of continuous and categorical latent variables.
This textbook presents both a nontechnical overview of topics with introductory
examples and a more intermediate level technical description of SEM with more detailed
examples. We envision this textbook can work on its own to cover topics ranging from
introductory and above for SEM students and researchers in a range of health and medi-
cal departments. Thus we hope that a reader, similar to our course and panel participants,
comes away with an understanding of how to effectively use SEM for their own research
in health and medicine. An understanding, in this sense, includes grasping (1) basic prin-
ciples of SEM and recommended strategies for application in health and medicine and (2)
a sense of how to fexibly and creatively use SEM. We’ve written this book in three parts.
Part I (Chapters 1 and 2) presents a basic overview of SEM for health and medicine.
These chapters introduce the history, vocabulary, concepts and usages of SEM.
Part II (Chapters 3–5) presents the basic theory of SEM using illustrative examples in health
and medicine. These chapters include material on the graphical and mathematical forms of
SEMs and model specifcation, estimation, evaluation, identifcation and equivalence.
Part III (Chapters 6–15) presents applications and examples of SEM for health and medi-
cal studies. In these chapters, there is material on confrmatory factor analysis, exploratory
factor analysis, mediation and moderation analysis, model modifcation, comparison and
specifcation searches, multiple indicator multiple cause and multigroup analysis, mixture
modeling and longitudinal modeling. These chapters include illustrative examples involv-
ing patient reported outcomes data and other health-related outcomes, large observational
studies, randomized controlled trials, clinical risk factors, disease progression and other
commonly occurring phenomena in health and medicine. The book ends with Chapter 15
on a series of special topics relevant for SEM health and medical researchers.
Several of the applied examples in this book focus on depression screening and individ-
uals studied have comorbid conditions (e.g. depression and multiple sclerosis, depression
and HIV). We particularly use the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a short-item
self-report depression screening tool [4]. As one reads the book, it should be noted that
these are some of the study samples and measures used in our research. The reader should
envision applying the methods for their own research which may involve vastly different
study samples and measures.
It has been a truly rewarding experience in completing this textbook. This achievement
marks an important path traveled in the longer journey to make SEM more accessible for
health and medical researchers. This feld will continue to evolve as funders, research
institutions and companies alike dedicate more resources to population health research.
Preface xv
REFERENCES
1. Wheaton, B., et al., Assessing reliability and stability in panel models. Sociological Methodology,
1977. 8: pp. 84–136.
2. Choi, B.C. and A.W. Pak, Multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity in
health research, services, education and policy: 1. Definitions, objectives, and evidence of
effectiveness. Clinical and Investigative Medicine, 2006. 29(6): pp. 351–364.
3. Gunzler, D., et al., Training a nonclinician to become a leader in transdisciplinary clinical research:
Clinical observerships. International Journal of Clinical Biostatistics and Biometrics, 2015. 1(5).
4. Kroenke, K., R.L. Spitzer, and J.B. Williams, The PHQ-9. Journal of General Internal Medicine,
2001. 16(9): pp. 606–613.
Acknowledgments
This book represents collaborative work by the three authors. Financial support for
this study was provided by grants from NIH/NIDDK 1R01DK112905-01A1 (Sehgal and
Gunzler), NIH/NCATS UL1 TR 002548-01 (Konstan), NIH/NIA, R01AG055480 (Dalton
and Perzynski), NIH/NIA R01AG022459 (Sudano), NIH/NIA R01AG024206 (Sudano),
Health Resources and Services Administration H97HA27429-01-00 (Avery), NIH NCI/
FDA R01CA190130 (Flocke), NIH/NIAAA R01AA013302 (Dawson) and NIH/NIMH
R01MH085665 (Dawson and Sajatovic).
The funding agreement ensured the authors’ independence in conceptualizing, design-
ing, writing and publishing this textbook.
We appreciate the contributions from five independent and anonymous reviewers and
Drs. Neal Dawson, Ann Avery, Jarrod Dalton, Farren Briggs, Susan Flocke, Karen Ishler,
Kristen Berg, Nathan Morris, Martha Sajatovic, Richard McCormick and Joseph Sudano.
We are grateful to Rob Hamm and other leaders at the Society for Medical Decision
Making for choosing to offer our SEM short course for many years, to the learners in those
courses who shared their questions and ideas with us, and to Dana Alden who (together
with Kristen Berg and Joseph Sudano) has co-taught with us on many occasions.
We thank Rob Calver, Vaishali Singh and Iris Fahrer from Chapman & Hall and Vijay
Shanker at CodeMantra. We would like to thank all others heavily involved in this process
as well from both the editing and production side.
From author Dr. Douglas D. Gunzler: To my thesis advisor Dr. Xin M. Tu for your
friendship, wisdom and ardent introduction to SEM and mediation analysis. On a
personal note, I would like to specially thank my wonderful wife, Meredith, and chil-
dren, Paige and Jacob, for their all-around patience, love, support and understanding
t hroughout this process.
From Dr. Adam T. Perzynski: To my peers Tanetta Andersson, Chris Burant, Katy Abbott,
Heather Menne, Joshua Terchek and Noah Webster: if not for your friendship and inspir-
ing scholarship, I would not have had anything to offer this book. Thanks to Kyle Kercher
for his enthusiastic (and at times relentless) introduction to SEM in Sociology 509 which
set me on a pathway to contributing to this book. Most of all thanks to my loving family
Maureen, Holly, Sophie and Eddie.
From Dr. Adam C. Carle: I would like to thank Tara J. Carle, Lyla S. B. Carle and Margaret
Carle for their love and unending support. I would also like to thank the sheep and the
dogs for being, well, sheep and dogs.
xvii
Authors
Dr. Douglas D. Gunzler is a tenured Associate Professor of Medicine and Population and
Quantitative Health Sciences in the Population Health Research Institute at the Center for
Health Care Research and Policy, MetroHealth and Case Western Reserve University. He
is a biostatistician with specialties in structural equation modeling (SEM) and longitudinal
data analysis. His research interests lie in the areas of mediation analysis, factor analysis,
mixture modeling, psychometrics, age-period-cohort analysis and their application to both
clinical trials and observational studies in health and medicine. In his research, he is using
SEM for analysis of overlapping symptoms in co-occurring conditions. Dr. Gunzler earned
his PhD from the Department of Biostatistics & Computational Biology at the University
of Rochester in 2011.
Dr. Adam T. Perzynski is a tenured Associate Professor of Medicine and Sociology in the
Population Health Research Institute at the Center for Health Care Research and Policy,
MetroHealth and Case Western Reserve University. He is also the Founding Director
of the Patient Centered Media Lab. His doctoral degree is in sociology, and his current
research interests include novel strategies to eliminate health disparities, outcomes mea-
surement over the life course and research methods. His methodologic expertise spans the
continuum from focus groups and ethnography to psychometrics and structural equation
modeling. His publications span many disciplines and stand out against the backdrop of
a career-long effort to infuse the study of biomedical scientific problems with the knowl-
edge, theories and methods of social science.
Dr. Adam C. Carle is a clinically and quantitatively trained investigator. He is nationally
recognized as an expert in pediatric patient reported outcomes and measurement. He
uses structural equation models (SEM), multilevel models (MLM) and contemporary
test theory (e.g. item response theory – IRT) to advance the methodological science used
to measure health and health-related outcomes from the family and child’s perspective,
investigate the correlates of children and their families’ well-being, and investigate and
eliminate health disparities. Additionally, his work seeks to better understand individual
and contextual variables’ influences on health and health disparities at individual, local,
system, state and national levels. He is a PI, Co-PI or Co-I on numerous federal grants and
has served as a reviewer for federal granting agencies and national foundations. He has
published more than 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Most important, he thinks his family
is amazing (including the dogs and sheep).
xix
Table of Greek Symbols
xxi
Part I
Introduction to Concepts
and Principles of Structural
Equation Modeling for Health
and Medical Research
1
Introduction and Brief History of Structural Equation
Modeling for Health and Medical Research
variables, have measurement error. Latent variables themselves do not have measurement
error associated with them. Measurement error is accounted for in the model of relation-
ships between a latent variable and its indicator variables. Refer to Chapter 2 for more
details about different forms of measurement error.
We have now provided a very basic description of how one typically views a latent vari-
able in SEM. As we have defned it, in summary, SEM is an approach that can model latent
variables and then conduct multivariate regression of latent variables on each other (as
well as observed variables).
not clear as of yet, these nuances and approaches will become more evident throughout
this textbook.
There are many other extensions of SEM that were developed during the frst- and
second-generations of SEM. SEM was originally derived to only consider continuous
observed variables. We will present many applications of SEM with ordered-categorical
observed variables and/or missing data. Applications of SEM can also involve other types
of data such as count and survival time data. SEM has been extended for analysis with
these other types of variables and data. Applications of SEM can involve either cross-
sectional or longitudinal data. For example, latent growth curve modeling (Chapter 13) is
an application of CFA for longitudinal data. Multilevel modeling (Chapter 13) and multi-
group analysis (Chapters 9 and 10) have also been integrated for use with SEM. Further,
Bayesian approaches have been adapted for SEM in parallel with the development of the
frst- and second-generation of SEM [4].
Beyond just using the methods in a straightforward manner, one has the opportu-
nity to extend these methods and fexibly and creatively apply them to address specifc
research questions. For example, in applying latent growth curve modeling, one can
analyze the antecedents and consequences of change, higher-order models and multiple
growth trajectories related to each other. We will use the term SEM hereafter in this textbook,
unless denoting otherwise, as an umbrella term in reference to these extensions and frst- and
second-generation SEM.
One necessitates a very broad framework to represent and fexibly and creatively apply
the different latent variable methods commonly used in studies in health and medicine.
These approaches (e.g. conventional linear SEM, conventional SEM with nonmetric data,
factor analysis, latent class analysis, growth mixture modeling) can be described as belong-
ing to a family of statistical techniques referred to as general latent variable modeling (GLVM).
When one defnes SEM as broadly as we have in this textbook, the terminology GLVM and
SEM can be viewed as synonymous. GLVM is a unifed latent variable framework that uses
a combination of continuous and categorical latent variables for statistical analysis [11]. The
vision of GLVM is to provide a unifed an organized set of tools for conducting many dif-
ferent types of statistical analysis. The interested reader should refer to Muthén [11] for an
introduction to GVLM.
SEM techniques have many advantages in practice including:
These advantages are well-suited to address research questions and theory development
in the medical and health sciences.
8 Structural Equation Modeling for Health and Medicine
FIGURE 1.1
Path diagrams representing hypothesized model in people with rheumatoid arthritis. (a) Hypothesized latent
variable for pain behavior and (b) Hypothesized causal relationships.
Disease duration and infammation are observed variables while pain behavior is a latent variable. The
amount of infammation present can be measured by the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Pain behavior is
hypothesized as the underlying cause of observed indicators describing the level of movement (moved slower),
facial expressions, protected body (protected the part of the body that was hurt) and stopped activity.
Introduction and History of SEM 9
FIGURE 1.2
Path analysis model for hospitalization example.
smoking and sugar consumption (i.e. there is no arrow linking current smoking and
sugar consumption).
FIGURE 1.3
Full structural equation model for happiness example.
Emotional intelligence, career adaptability and happiness are latent variables. Emotional intelligence is hypoth-
esized as the underlying, or latent, cause of scores on observed indicators for self-awareness, self-regulation,
social-awareness and success in relationships. Career adaptability is hypothesized as the underlying cause
of scores on career concern, control, curiosity and confdence. This latent variable of career adaptability was
adapted from Nilforooshan, P. and S. Salimi, Career adaptability as a mediator between personality and career
engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 2016. 94: pp. 1–10. Happiness is hypothesized as the underlying cause
of scores on observed indicators for smile, laugh, content and satisfed.
Introduction and History of SEM 11
BOX 1.1
ORIGIN OF FACTOR ANALYSIS
Charles Spearman [13] is credited with constructing the frst factor model, which
laid the foundations for measuring latent variables within the SEM framework [1]. In
his work he proposed a general ability factor, which he called g, that infuences the
performance on disparate cognitive ability measures [1].
framework used for CFA while providing many timely, illustrative examples. In SEM
computing, Byrne [5,17–21] has provided useful resources for researchers for using
SEM in MPlus, EQS (Multivariate Software, Inc., Encino, CA, USA), LISREL, PRELIS
(Scientifc Software International), SIMPLIS (SIMPLIS Technologies, Inc., Portland, OR,
USA) and AMOS (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Further, the MPlus website,
Statmodel.com [16] is flled with manuals and examples to assist an applied researcher
in conducting SEM analysis.
TABLE 1.1
Common Types of Research Studies in Health and Medicine
Study Type Experimental Quasi-experimental Observational
Boundaries/limits Control of environment and No random assignment to Limited to no control over
random assignment to intervention or control environment or variables
intervention or control
Examples Randomized controlled trial Survey research, non- Cohort study, case-control
equivalent group research study
Introduction and History of SEM 13
social determinants) and cardiovascular events. This complex model involves many
hypothesized causal relations, each of which should be supported by sound logic, theory
and prior evidence, as well as other statistical considerations. Competent scientists could
disagree about which paths should be included, and how the model should be specifed.
In this respect, SEM can be seen as creating a practical scientifc dialogue that engages
researchers in processes of specifying and testing models. Models like the one shown in
Figure 1.4 are not intended to intimidate a novice SEM researcher. This is an advanced
example for learning to apply SEM to complex problems in health and medicine. In this
book, we work our way through a series of smaller examples intended to launch readers
into investigating ever more complex and interesting questions and relationships.
It is important to recognize that there are many applications of SEM that do not involve
performing regression to evaluate hypothesized causal relationships in confrmatory data
analysis. Exploratory factor analysis (Chapter 8) and latent class analysis (Chapter 11) are
both techniques commonly used in health and medicine for more exploratory data analy-
sis. Many researchers also use SEM to revise a model. That is, they use quantitative and
subjective criteria to test an initial specifed model against alternative modifed models
with the intentions of developing the “best” model for the data (Chapter 6). Hypothesized
associations are also commonly evaluated using SEM.
FIGURE 1.4
Hypothesized relationships between risk factors and cardiovascular event.
Obesity, mental health, social support and self-effcacy are latent variables. Mental health is hypothesized as the
underlying, or latent, cause of scores on observed indicators for emotional, psychological and social well-
being. Social support is hypothesized as the underlying cause of scores on objective support, subjective
support and support-seeking behavior. These three domains can be measured using the Social Support Self-
Rating Scale developed by Xiao (Reference: Xiao, S., The theoretical basis and research applications of “Social
Support Rating Scale”. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1994. 4(2): pp. 98–100). Self-effcacy is hypothesized as the
underlying cause of scores on observed indicators for self-confdence, accuracy of self-evaluation, taking
calculated risks and accomplishment. Here, obesity is hypothesized as the underlying, or latent, effect of
scores on observed indicators of waist circumference, waist/hip ratio and body mass index (BMI). We have
not specifed all potential paths of interest, including correlations, in this diagram due to visual complexity.
For example, in practice many implied pairwise correlations would be reasonable like SES and smoking. SES,
socioeconomic status.
Introduction and History of SEM 15
Conducting analyses of SEMs in health and medicine often does not go strictly accord-
ing to “rules of thumb” or follow linearly from “textbook” examples. The researcher
should carefully take account of prior expert knowledge, make reasonable assumptions,
weigh in on oftentimes conficting empirical evidence from multiple tests and indices, and
draw reasonable conclusions. Throughout this book, we describe examples and the SEM
decision-making involved in this type of research.
1.6 Conclusions
In this chapter, we provided an overview of the material covered in this book. Briefy, we
defned and described SEM and the components of SEM. The strong implications when
one makes causal assumption were stressed in this chapter. We discussed the roots and
history of SEM including the history of latent variable software and recommendations of
classic introductory textbooks depending on the needs of a reader. We provided a back-
ground of three common types of health and medical studies, experimental, observational
and quasi-experimental, and a foundation for the use of SEM in health and medicine.
References
1. Tarka, P., An overview of structural equation modeling: Its beginnings, historical develop-
ment, usefulness and controversies in the social sciences. Quality and Quantity, 2017. 52(1):
pp. 1–42.
2. Bollen, K.A. and M.D. Noble, Structural equation models and the quantifcation of behavior.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011. 108(Supplement 3): pp. 15639–15646.
3. Muthén, B., Second-generation structural equation modeling with a combination of categorical
and continuous latent variables: New opportunities for latent class–latent growth modeling.
2001.
4. Kaplan, D. and S. Depaoli, Bayesian structural equation modeling, in Handbook of structural
equation modeling, R.H. Hoyle, Editor. 2012, New York: The Guilford Press, pp. 650–673.
16 Structural Equation Modeling for Health and Medicine
5. Byrne, B.M., Structural equation modeling with Mplus: Basic concepts, applications, and program-
ming. 2013, Abingdon: Routledge.
6. Joreskog, K. and D. Sorbom, LISREL 8 user’s reference guide. 1996, Chicago, IL: Scientifc Software
Chicago.
7. Bollen, K., Structural equations with latent variables. 1989, New York: Wiley.
8. Jőreskog, K.G. and M. Thiilo, Lisrel: A general computer program for estimating a linear struc-
tural equation system involving multiple indicators of unmeasured variables. ETS Research
Report Series, 1972.
9. Kline, R.B., Principles and practice of structural equation modeling, fourth edition. 2016, New York:
Guilford Press.
10. Fan, Y., et al., Applications of structural equation modeling (SEM) in ecological studies: An
updated review. Ecological Processes, 2016. 5(1): p. 19.
11. Muthén, B.O., Beyond SEM: General latent variable modeling. Behaviormetrika, 2002. 29(1):
pp. 81–117.
12. Cunningham, N.R., et al., Development and validation of the self-reported PROMIS pediatric
pain behavior item bank and short form scale. Pain, 2017. 158(7): p. 1323.
13. Spearman, C., “General Intelligence,” objectively determined and measured. The American
Journal of Psychology, 1904. 15(2): pp. 201–292.
14. Wright, S., Correlation and causation. Journal of Agricultural Research, 1921. 20(7): pp. 557–585.
15. Bentler, P.M., EQS structural equations program manual, 1989. Los Angeles, CA: BMDP Statistical
Software Pages.
16. Muthén, L.K. and B.O. Muthén, Mplus: The comprehensive modeling program for applied researchers:
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2013, Abingdon: Routledge.
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2
Vocabulary, Concepts and Usages of
Structural Equation Modeling
17
18 Structural Equation Modeling for Health and Medicine
FIGURE 2.1
Model of wellness program.
The covariance between calorie intake and weekly exercise is represented in the model-implied covariance
matrix and does not appear in the mathematical equations in this fgure. See Chapter 4 for more details about
the model-implied covariance matrix. In this fgure we have omitted the measurement model (model of the
infuence of anxiety on the observed indicators of anxiety) and focused on the structural model. While left out
of the model, a covariance between anxiety and BMI might be theoretically reasonable and could potentially be
added at the discretion of a research team. See Chapter 3 for more details regarding the mathematical equations.
Briefy, here ˜ 0 , ˜ 1 , ˜ 2 and ˜ 3 are intercepts, ˜ 1 , ˜ 2 , ˜ 3 and ˜ 4 are slopes relating endogenous variables to
each other, and ˜ 1 , ˜ 2 , ˜ 3 and ˜ 4 are slopes relating the endogenous variables to the sole exogenous variable
(wellness program). D0 , D1 , D2 and D3 are error terms.
In other words, an endogenous variable is an effect in relation to at least one other vari-
able, while an exogenous variable is always the cause and never an effect. Another way
to phrase this is that the values of exogenous variables are determined by things out-
side/not within the model, whereas the values of endogenous variables are determined by
things within the model. In Figure 2.1, anxiety, BMI, calorie intake and weekly exercise are all
Vocabulary, Concepts and Usages of SEM 19
endogenous variables while wellness program is an exogenous variable. In the path diagram
in Figure 2.1, the sole exogenous variable is the variable with no arrows pointing into it,
and thus, its variation is not explained by other variables in the model.
Researchers commonly use simple sets of symbols from SEM notation to translate a con-
ceptual model into a path diagram (as in Figure 2.1). Table 2.1 displays some of the most
commonly used symbols and vocabulary, as well as the meaning, for researchers using
SEM. We will use these symbols and vocabulary throughout this book.
The reader should take Table 2.1 with some fexibility. Throughout the SEM literature,
there are sometimes variations in the general nomenclature.
TABLE 2.1
Commonly Used Symbols and Vocabulary for SEM Researchers
Symbol or Vocabulary Meaning
Oval or circle
a Latent variable
FIGURE 2.2
Latent construct of depression using the items of the patient health questionnaire (PHQ)-9.
Depression is hypothesized as the underlying cause of nine observed items describing symptoms of anhedonia,
depressed mood, sleep disturbance, fatigue, appetite changes, feelings of worthlessness (guilt), concentration
diffculties, psychomotor disturbances and thoughts of self-harm. Arrows pointing toward each of the nine
items at the bottom of the fgure represent measurement error.
assigning the latent variable a mean and variance. We introduce model identifcation later
in this chapter and dedicate most of Chapter 5 to the topic.
Measurement error terms are also unobserved. However, measurement error terms are
not a part of the causal process; thus, there are various ways to represent such error terms in
a path diagram as related to continuous observed variables. We represent the measurement
error terms in Figure 2.2 using arrows (edges) at the bottom of the path diagram directionally
pointing toward each of the nine items. Other common representations of these error terms
would be to include a freestanding symbol (not included in a circle or oval as symbolic of a
latent variable), such as e or ˜ or ˜ , with a subscript unique to each item (such as subscripts
1–9), at the end of each edge. Another representation, such as in the AMOS software pack-
age, includes circles with numbered measurement error terms (i.e. e1, e2, …, e9) inside. These
error terms could also simply be implied in the model and left out of the path diagram.
Measurement error can be either random or systematic. Random measurement error varies
from one measurement to another in an unpredictable manner. When we use the terminol-
ogy “measurement error” throughout this textbook, we are referring to random measure-
ment error unless denoted otherwise. Systematic measurement error is predictable and
constant. Systematic measurement error is also known as bias and leads to incorrect model
estimates. An entire group has the same error from the true value across measurements of
a fxed magnitude and direction. For example, gender disparities in how a questionnaire
is flled out lead to a form of systematic measurement error in scoring the questionnaire
across men and women. We specifcally discuss systematic measurement error and how to
identify and account for it in SEM in Chapter 10.
Conventionally, latent variables in SEM analyses appear as refective constructs, such as
depression in Figure 2.2, where the latent trait infuences the indicators. In formative con-
structs, indicators infuence the latent trait. In health and medicine, latent variables for
physical health conditions such as obesity (Chapter 1, Figure 1.4) reasonably could be
considered a formative construct based on clinical characteristics, such as waist circum-
ference, waist–hip ratio and BMI. However, including formative variables in SEMs is an
application that requires special care (Chapter 7).
responses. One commonly uses EFA to describe the factor structure that is consis-
tent with the data and leads to the most meaningful substantive interpretation of
groups of questions or indicators. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) [5] is an analytic
technique used to study the relationships between multiple indicators and a latent
variable or variables. CFA is the most widely used technique for specifying latent
variables in the measurement model within the SEM framework. Recall, the measure-
ment model is used to evaluate the relationships between latent variables and their
measurements.
The CFA model is in itself a special case of a structural equation model. Though his-
torically EFA was not typically an SEM procedure, it can be classifed as a more gen-
eral latent variable procedure and is available for use in many SEM software packages.
Aforementioned in Chapter 1, EFA can also be viewed as a special case of CFA and vice
versa as both techniques employ the same common mathematical model under different
constraints (Chapter 8).
Many health and medical researchers use both EFA and CFA in subsequent analyses
(see Figure 2.3). EFA is useful for helping to determine the factor structure among multiple
indicators. CFA is useful for testing and evaluating the measurement properties of a pre-
determined factor structure and then modifying this structure as indicated. Most often a
researcher performing EFA and CFA in succession will do so using two separate samples.
Otherwise, one is likely overftting the model in confrming a factor structure that was
determined by optimizing empirical criteria with the same data. A data set can be ran-
domly split into two data sets for conducting EFA and then CFA. Alternatively, one could
fnd two similar data sets for this purpose.
Use CFA to
evaluate the
measurement
Consider any properties of the
pertinent theory factors. CFA can
(previous literature, also be used to
Use EFA to help expert knowledge) modify the factor
determine the in modifying the structure as
factor structure of a factor structure as indicated.
set of indicators. indicated.
FIGURE 2.3
Step diagram for using exploratory and confrmatory factor analysis in succession for health and medical
research.
A subsequent step is to evaluate for group differences (e.g. differences for males and females or across age
groups) across the factor structure using multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) modeling or multigroup
confrmatory factor analysis. See Chapter 10 for a discussion of these techniques.
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afraid? Hear my crying, O Lord; incline thine ear to my calling, my
King and my God, for unto Thee do I make my prayer.’ With these
and other verses of the Psalms the enemy was at length put to flight;
Albinus completed his prayer and went to rest.[64] At that time only
one of his disciples, Waltdramn by name, who is still alive, was
watching with him; he saw all this from a place of concealment, a
witness of this thing that took place.”
St. Martin himself once had a meeting with the devil[65]. There
came into his cell a purple light, and one stood in the midst thereof
clad in a royal robe, having on his head a diadem of gold and
precious stones, his shoes overlaid with gold, his countenance
serene, his face full of joy, looking like anything but the devil. The
devil spoke first. “Know, Martin, whom you behold. I am Christ. I am
about to descend from heaven to the world. I willed first to manifest
myself to thee.” Martin held his tongue. “Why dost thou doubt,
Martin, whom thou seest? I am Christ.” Then the Spirit revealed that
this was the devil, not God, and he answered, “The Lord Jesus did
not predict that He would come again resplendent with purple and
diadem. I will not believe that Christ has come, except in the form in
which He suffered, bearing the stigmata of the Cross.” Thereupon
the apparition vanished like smoke, leaving so very bad a smell that
there was no doubt it was the devil. “This account I had from the
mouth of Martin himself,” Sulpicius adds.
“The father used a little wine, in accordance with the apostle’s
precept, not for the pleasure of the palate, but by reason of his bodily
weakness.[66] In every kind of way he avoided idleness; either he
read, or he wrote, or he taught his disciples, or he gave himself to
prayer and the chanting of Psalms, yielding only to unavoidable
necessities of the body. He was a father to the poor, more humble
than the humble, an inviter to piety of the rich, lofty to the proud, a
discerner of all, and a marvellous comforter. He celebrated every day
many solemnities of masses[67] with honourable diligence, having
proper masses deputed for each day of the week. Moreover, on the
Lord’s day, never at any time after the light of dawn began to appear
did he allow himself to slumber, but swiftly preparing himself as
deacon with his own priest Sigulf he performed the solemnities of
special masses till the third hour, and then with very great reverence
he went to the public mass. His disciples, when they were in other
places, especially when they assisted ad opus Dei, carefully studied
that no cause of blame be seen in them by him.
“The time had come when Albinus had a desire to depart and be
with Christ. He prayed with all his will that if it might be, he should
pass from the world on the day on which the Holy Spirit was seen to
come upon the apostles in tongues of fire, and filled their hearts.
Saying for himself the vesper office, in the place which he had
chosen as his resting-place after death, namely, near the Church of
St. Martin, he sang through the evangelic hymn of the holy Mary with
this antiphon[68], ‘O Key of David, and sceptre of the house of Israel,
who openest and none shutteth, shuttest and none openeth, come
and lead forth from the house of his prison this fettered one, sitting in
darkness and the shadow of death.’ Then he said the Lord’s Prayer.
Then several Psalms—Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks. O
how amiable are Thy dwellings, Thou Lord of hosts. Blessed are
they that dwell in Thy house. Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes. One
thing I have desired of the Lord. Unto Thee, O Lord, will I lift up my
soul.
“He spent the season of Lent, according to his custom, in the most
worthy manner, with all contrition of flesh and spirit and purifying of
habit. Every night he visited the basilicas of the saints which are
within the monastery of St. Martin,[69] washing himself clean of his
sins with heavy groans. When the solemnity of the Resurrection of
the Lord was accomplished, on the night of the Ascension he fell on
his bed, oppressed with languor even unto death, and could not
speak. On the third day before his departure he sang with exultant
voice his favourite antiphon, ‘O key of David,’ and recited the verses
mentioned above. On the day of Pentecost, the matin office having
been performed, at the very hour at which he had been accustomed
to attend masses, at opening dawn, the holy soul of Albinus is[70]
released from the body, and by the ministry of the celestial deacons,
having with them the first martyr Stephen and the archdeacon
Laurence, with an army of angels, he is led to Christ, whom he
loved, whom he sought; and in the bliss of heaven he has for ever
the fruition of the glory of Him whom in this world he so faithfully
served.”
The Annals of Pettau enable us to fill in some details of Alcuin’s
death. Pettau was not far from Salzburg, and therefore the
monastery was likely to be well informed. Arno of Salzburg, Alcuin’s
great admiration and his devoted personal friend, would see to it that
in his neighbourhood all ecclesiastics knew the details. The seizure
on the occasion of his falling on his bed was a paralytic stroke. It
occurred, according to the Annals from which we are quoting, on the
fifth day of the week on the eighth of the Ides of May, that is, on May
8; but in that year, 804, Ascension Day fell on May 9, so that for the
eighth of the Ides we must read the seventh of the Ides. The seizure
took place at vesper tide, after sunset. He lived on till May 19,
Whitsunday, on which day he died, just as the day broke.
“On that night,” to return to the Life, “above the church of the holy
Martin there was seen an inestimable clearness of splendour, so that
to persons at a distance it seemed that the whole was on fire. By
some, that splendour was seen through the whole night, to others it
appeared three times in the night. Joseph the Archbishop of Tours
testified that he and his companions saw this throughout the night.
Many that are still sound in body testify the same. To more persons,
however, this brightness appeared in the same manner, not on that
but on a former night, namely, on the night of the first Sunday after
the Ascension.
“At that same hour there was displayed to a certain hermit in Italy
the army of the heavenly deacons, sounding forth the ineffable
praises of Christ in the air; in the midst of whom Alchuin[71] stood,
clothed with a most splendid dalmatic, entering with them into
heaven to minister with perennial joy to the Eternal Pontiff. This
hermit on that same day of Pentecost told what he had seen to one
of the brethren of Tours, who was making his accustomed way to
visit the thresholds of the Apostles.[72] The hermit asked him these
questions,—‘Who is that Abbat that lives at Tours, in the monastery
of the holy Martin? By what name is he called? And was he well in
body when you left?’ The brother replied, ‘He is called Alchuin, and
he is the best teacher in all France. When I started on my way hither,
I left him well.’ The solitary made rejoinder, with tears, that he was
indeed enjoying the very happiest health; and he told him what he
had seen at day-break that day. When the brother got back to Tours,
he related what he had heard.
“Father Sigulf, with certain others, washed the body of the father
with all honour, and placed it on a bier. Now Sigulf had at the time a
great pain in the head, but being by faith sound in mind, he found a
ready cure for his head. Raising his eyes above the couch of the
master, he saw the comb[73] with which he was wont to comb his
head. Taking it in his hands he said, ‘I believe, Lord Jesus, that if I
combed my head with this my master’s comb, my head would at
once be cured by his merits.’ The moment he drew the comb across
his head, that part of the head which it touched was immediately
cured, and thus by combing his head all round he lost the pain
completely. Another of his disciples, Eangist by name, was
grievously afflicted with immense pain in his teeth. By Sigulf’s advice
he touched his teeth with the comb, and forthwith, because he did it
in faith, he received a cure by the merits of Alchuin.
“When Joseph, the bishop of the city of Tours, a man good and
beloved of God, heard that the blessed Alchuin was dead, he came
to the spot immediately with his clerks, and washing Alchuin’s eyes
with his tears, he kissed him frequently. He advised, moreover, using
wise counsel, that he should not be buried outside, in the place
where the father himself had willed, but with all possible honour
within the basilica of the holy Martin, that the bodies of those whose
souls are united in heaven should on earth lie in one home. And thus
it was done. Above his tomb was placed, as he had directed, a title
which he had dictated in his lifetime, engraved on a plate of bronze
let into the wall.”[74]
The simple epitaph, apart from the title, ran thus:—
“Here doth rest the lord Alchuuin the Abbat, who died in peace on
the fourteenth of the Kalends of June. When you read, O all ye who
pass by, pray for him and say, The Lord grant unto him eternal rest.”
CHAPTER III
The large bulk of Alcuin’s letters and other writings.—The main dates of his life.
—Bede’s advice to Ecgbert.—Careless lives of bishops.—No parochial system.—
Inadequacy of the bishops’ oversight.—Great monasteries to be used as sees for
new bishoprics, and evil monasteries to be suppressed.—Election of abbats and
hereditary descent.—Evils of pilgrimages.—Daily Eucharists.