The Impact of BIB Spiraling-Induced Missing Data Patterns on Goodness-of-Fit Tests in Factor Analysis

Abstract

This article considers the impact of missing data arising from balanced incomplete block (BIB) spiraled designs on the chi-square goodness-of-fit test in factor analysis. Specifically, data arising from BIB designs possess a unique pattern of missing data that can be characterized as missing completely at random (MCAR). Standard approaches to factor analyzing such data rest on forming pairwise available case (PAC) covariance matrices. Developments in statistical theory for missing data show that PAC covariance matrices may not satisfy Wishart distribution assumptions underlying factor analysis, thus impacting tests of model fit. One approach, advocated by Muthén, Kaplan, and Hollis (1987) for handling missing data in structural equation modeling, is proposed as a possible solution to these problems. This study compares the new approach to the standard PAC approach in a Monte Carlo framework. Results show that tests of goodness-of-fit are very sensitive to PAC approaches even when data are MCAR, as is the case for BIB designs. The new approach is shown to outperform the PAC approach for continuous variables and is comparatively better for dichotomous variables.