Structural equation modeling (SEM) refers to a family of statistical techniques that explores the relationships among a set of variables. Structural equation modeling provides an extremely versatile method to model very specific hypotheses involving systems of variables, both measured and unmeasured. Researchers can use SEM to study patterns of interrelationships among variables, compare different groups to each other, study change over time, and do many other types of sophisticated analyses. This paper will present an overview of SEM, present an illustration of research using SEM, and provide suggestions for ways that this powerful technique can be used to answer a variety of research questions within the field of gifted education.
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