Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
The factor structure of the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form (PSI-4-SF) was evaluated among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two hypotheses were tested: (1) the original PSI-4-SF model would yield an unsatisfactory fit, and (2) a three-factor alternative model would improve fit compared to the original and other models. A sample of 205 parent-child dyads was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with the lavaan package in R Studio. Preliminary analyses included descriptive statistics, normality checks, and assessments of skewness and kurtosis. Results supported the first hypothesis, showing poor fit indices for the original PSI-4-SF model. The second hypothesis was partially supported, as the Zaidman-Zait et al. (2011) model outperformed all other models but did not meet satisfactory thresholds for some fit statistics. Findings highlight the inadequacy of existing models and suggest the need for multi-factor models to better capture the complexities of parental stress in ASD contexts. Limitations include the computational intensity of the WLSMV method, potential overestimation of precision by bootstrapping, lack of cross-validation, and a less-than-ideal sample size. Future research should focus on refining PSI-4-SF models and validating them across diverse populations. These results underscore the need for continuous evaluation and adaptation of psychological assessment tools to improve support for families of children with ASD, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in clinical and research settings.
Date
7-16-2024
Recommended Citation
Weir, Paige, "A CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE PSI-4-SF IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER" (2024). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6562.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6562
Committee Chair
Kelley, Mary Lou
Included in
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