Uses of factor analysis in counseling psychology research.

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Abstract
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Factor analysis is an analytic technique that permits the reduction of a large number of correlated variables to a smaller number of latent dimensions. The goal of factor analysis is to achieve parsimony by using the smallest number of explanatory concepts to explain the maximum amount of common variance in a correlation matrix. In this article, we provide an overview of factor analysis techniques. We provide a conceptual explanation of factor analysis, a discussion of the relation of factor analysis to other multivariate techniques, and an explanation of characteristics of the data to consider in determining the appropriateness of factor analysis. We review considerations in making decisions about communality estimates, methods of factor extraction, the number of factors to rotate, and methods of factor rotation. We conclude with suggestions on how to interpret factor analysis results, calculate factor scores, and report factor analysis results. An understanding of factor analysis is useful for review of the current research literature in counseling psychology and for the development of future research. Factor analysis is used most frequently in the development or validation of psycho- metric instruments and in testing theories about instruments or the theories on which instruments are based. It is also used by researchers in data analysis to discover new constructs and to help in theory development. Factor analysis has been applied to such information as the content of interviews (Fry, 1984), vocational interests (Fouad, Cudeck, & Hansen, 1984), supervisory styles (Friedlander & Ward, 1984; Worthington & Stern, 1985), expectancies about counseling (Tinsley. Workman, & Kass, 1980), perceptions of counselors (Ponter- otto & Furlong, 1985; Corrigan & Schmidt, 1983), decision- making styles (Phillips, Friedlander, Pazienza, & Kost, 1985), job characteristics (Near, 1985), information that recruiters use in evaluating job applicants (Kinicki & Lockwood, 1985). and Crites's model of career maturity (Crites, Wallbrown, & Blaha, 1985). Given the flexibility of factor analytic techniques and the variety of uses for these techniques, it is important for coun- seling psychologists to be knowledgeable about factor analysis. In this article, we provide a conceptual explanation of factor analysis. Other topics that we address include its appropriate and inappropriate uses, the decisions to be made in perform- ing a factor analysis, and the interpretation of the results.

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