by Peter Cuttance (Editor), Russell Ecob (Editor)
Structural Modelling by Example offers a comprehensive overview of the application of structural equation models in the social and behavioral sciences and in educational research. It is devoted in nearly equal proportions to substantive issues and to methodological ones. The substantive section comprises case studies of the use of these models in a number of disciplines. The authors emphasize the reasons for modelling by these methods, the processes involved in defining the model, and the interpretation of the results. The methodological section comprises investigations of the behavior of structural equation modelling methods under a number of conditions. The aim is to clarify the situations in which these methods can usefully be applied and the interpretations that can be made. All researchers with a basic understanding of regression and factor analysis will find this book to be an invaluable resource as they seek to evaluate the possibilities of these new approaches for their own data.