RGLS and RLS in Covariance Structure Analysis

This paper assesses the performance of regularized generalized least squares (RGLS) and reweighted least squares (RLS) methodologies in a confirmatory factor analysis model. Normal theory maximum likelihood (ML) and GLS statistics are based on large sample statistical theory. However, violation of asymptotic sample size is ubiquitous in real applications of structural equation modeling (SEM), and ML and GLS goodness-of-fit tests in SEM often make incorrect decisions on the true model. The novel methods RGLS and RLS aim to correct the over-rejection by ML and under-rejection by GLS. Proposed by Arruda and Bentler (2017), RGLS replaces a GLS weight matrix with a regularized one. Rediscovered by Hayakawa (2019), RLS replaces this weight matrix with one that derives from an ML function. Both of these methods outperform ML and GLS when samples are small, yet no studies have compared their relative performance. A confirmatory factor analysis Monte Carlo simulation study with normal data was carried out to examine the statistical performance of these two methods at different sample sizes. Based on empirical rejection frequencies and empirical distributions of test statistics, we find that RLS and RGLS have equivalent performance when N≥70; whereas when N<70, RLS outperforms RGLS. Both methods clearly outperform ML and GLS with N≤400.

Factors Associated with Volunteer Activities and Sleep Efficiency in Older Adults with Hypertension: A Sequential Model Study

The purpose of this study was to examine, using a sequential model, factors associated with volunteer participation and sleep efficiency in Japanese older adults receiving treatment for hypertensive disease. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on participant demographics, lifestyle, health status, and depression, and sleep activity monitors were used to objectively measure sleep status and sleep efficacy. Of the 167 respondents, the 59 being treated for hypertension were divided into two groups based on their participation in volunteering. Comparison between the groups showed significant differences in nocturnal awakening, sleep efficiency, and nap frequency. Volunteers had less nocturnal awakening, increased sleep efficiency, fewer naps, and decreased depression. Covariance structure analysis of the survey data and sleep measurements for hypertensive older adults in the volunteer group was performed by modeling the relationships between variables with a path diagram. Our model showed strong goodness of fit (χ2 test = 15.636, p = 0.111, GFI = 0.925, AGFI = 0.842, CFI = 0.925, RMSEA = 0.099). The findings of this study suggest that older adults with hypertension who participate in volunteer activities have less nocturnal awakening, improved sleep quality, and reduced risk of depression, and provides evidence to promote social participation in volunteering among older adults with hypertension.

Examination of Test Anxiety in a Sample of 18 to 26 year-old Singapore and U.S. Undergraduate Male and Female Students on the Test Anxiety Measure for College Students-Short Form

A cross-national study was conducted on a new test anxiety measure, the Test Anxiety Measure for College Students-Short Form (TAMC-SF) in a sample of 1,023 Singapore and U.S. students, aged 18-26. The TAMC-SF consists of one facilitating anxiety scale and five test anxiety (Worry, Cognitive Interference, Social Concerns, Physiological Hyperarousal, and Task Irrelevant Behaviors) scales. The measure was administered to the sample of higher education students online. The results of single-group confirmatory factor analyses found support for the TAMC-SF six-factor model for Singapore students, U.S. students, male students, and female students. In addition, the results of multi-group, mean and covariance structure analysis found support for the construct equivalency of the TAMC-SF scores across country and gender. Latent mean factor analyses followed and the results of these analyses indicated Singapore students had significantly higher levels of social concerns and significantly lower levels of cognitive interference and worry than U.S. students. The findings also indicated females had significantly higher levels of test anxiety than males on all five TAMC-SF test anxiety scales. Evidence supporting the construct validity of the TAMC-SF scores with the scores of math anxiety, social phobia, and self-critical perfectionism was also reported. Implications of the study’s findings for researchers and clinicians are discussed.

The Effect of Enterprise on Managerial Innovation Capacity

Business can offer an upper hand to a venture through hazardous choices that pay off improve creative items, administrations and markets in a troublesome managerial condition and by moving proactively to command a serious market. This investigation means to inspect the connection among business enterprise and managerial innovation capacity by considering subfactors, for example, creativity, proactiveness and chance taking, just as to investigate the connection between managerial innovation capacity and management performance. The examination decides the degree to which policy account and management support for little and medium-sized ventures (SMEs) assume the job of directing factors. Structure/technique/approach: Data assortment was done in 820 SMEs. To check the speculations, Covariance Structure Analysis was led utilizing EQS6b. Discoveries/results: The discoveries demonstrate that enterprise affects key arranging, innovative work, and innovation commercialisation. This examination found that managerial innovation limits effectsly affect management performance. Furthermore, this examination affirmed that when business enterprise influences managerial innovation exercises, policy financial support and management support fill in as arbitrators. Useful ramifications: Small and medium-sized undertakings should upgrade their innovation capacity and extend inventive business enterprise and policy account to carry out seriousness, endure and show constant turn of events and development in an evolving situation. Inventiveness/esteem: The investigation furnishes SME with data they can use to build their attention to interior managerial innovation exercises, which are the first wellsprings of upper hand, and help advance innovative work (RD) and authoritative management for nonstop fortification of innovation capacity. The examination gives SME data they can use to expand their familiarity with inside managerial innovation exercises, which are the first wellsprings of upper hand, and help advance RD and authoritative management for consistent support of innovation capacity.

The association of economic and cultural capital with the NEET rate: differential geographical and temporal patterns

Using data from 103 Italian provinces, we investigated the relationship between local/regional development, and NEET. We constructed an indicator of cultural capital and another of economic capital and we studied their relation with the NEET rate. Covariance Structure Analysis with Generalized Least Squares estimation was employed, considering a three time-points retrospective model. Results indicate a consistent protective effect of the economic capital on the NEET rate, both in the short run (2 years) and in the medium run (10 years). However, this effect has been obtained in the Central provinces (at 2 and 10 years) and Southern provinces (at 10 years), but not in the Northern provinces. A mediation analysis indicated that, historically, the cultural capital may partly mediate the effect of the economic capital. We did not detect a significant direct effect of the cultural capital on the NEET rate, which is strongly mediated by the action of the economic capital. Together, these results denote that the economic capital is a strong predictor of NEET, but not in very competitive economic areas.