Factor Analysis in Counseling Research and Practice

This article summarizes the general uses and major characteristics of factor analysis, particularly as they may apply to counseling research and practice. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are overviewed, including their principal aims, procedures, and interpretations. The basic steps of each type of factor analysis are elucidated. For EFA, the methods of factor extraction (principal component analysis and principal axis factoring), retention, rotation, and naming are summarized. CFA’s basic operations (model specification, testing, and interpretation) are discussed. In conclusion, EFA and CFA are directly applied to the development of a counseling-related instrument.

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