Quick guide for comparing groups in structural equation modeling. Could compare correlation (covariance) matrices but here we are comparing two parameters (regression coefficients) between males and females. The overall model we start with here comes from the final run of the mediation guide where it was shown that factor 2 “work effort” is shown to account for a significant level.

Merle Canfield

Before any runs the data file must be split into to files – one for female data and another for male data. Split the file by first saving the full file into one identified and male and the other identified as female. Then for each file select male or female in the following manner.

Saving female (female was coded as 1.0 in the original file) database.

Save the male data set in a similar manner selecting gendern =2.0.

Then using the EDS file (above from the mediation example) generate runs on both the female and male data set. Each time you save the EQX file into and EQS file. The EQS file is then a syntax file that can be modified which needs to be done when comparing groups. Save both the female EQS file into a single EQS file. That file is listed below with the changes is RED that need to be changed to compare the two parameters in question. These parameters are: (1) factor 2 to factor 1, and (2) factor 3 to factor 1. The question being answered is: are these two parameters the same or different for the two groups?

/TITLE

Model built by EQS 6 for Windows

/SPECIFICATIONS

DATA='q:\semguide\lsqfemale.ess';

VARIABLES=209; CASES=450; groups=2;

METHOD=ML; ANALYSIS=COVARIANCE; MATRIX=RAW;

/LABELS

V1=LNAME; V2=MI; V3=OCCUP; V4=GROUP; V5=GENDER;

V6=GENDERN; V7=EDUC; V8=TDATE; V9=BDATE; V10=AGE;

V11=TAGE; V12=ENJOY; V13=FGOOD; V14=WORTH; V15=FEARFUL;

V16=ANGRY; V17=TENSE; V18=SHY; V19=WORNOUT; V20=FITIN;

V21=APPROVE; V22=SHOULD; V23=FINISHED; V24=CHANGED; V25=SAD;

V26=CONFUSE; V27=USELESS; V28=HURTSEL; V29=SAY; V30=JEALOUS;

V31=SLEEP; V32=FUN; V33=ALCOHOL; V34=DRUGS; V35=LIVELY;

V36=LONELY; V37=INSECURE; V38=WORRIED; V39=SORRY; V40=OUTGOING;

V41=FORCED; V42=ADVANTGE; V43=PRODUTIV; V44=COPERTIV; V45=PUNISED;

V46=SUSPICIS; V47=SATISFID; V48=NECESITS; V49=FAIR; V50=AMBITOUS;

V51=COUTEOUS; V52=CRETIVE; V53=LOYAL; V54=HANDS; V55=DIFERENT;

V56=SOLVING; V57=STEADY; V58=HEALTH; V59=TRUST; V60=INTELIGN;

V61=KIND; V62=BUSY; V63=SUCESFUL; V64=CHARM; V65=TOUCHED;

V66=CHARGE; V67=GRUDGE; V68=COURAGE; V69=FUTURE; V70=HITPEOLE;

V71=LKWORK; V72=PEOPLE; V73=WHATDO; V74=DOWILL; V75=DISAGREE;

V76=SIXSENSE; V77=SHOW; V78=LAW; V79=HCONFLIC; V80=BODY;

V81=BETTER; V82=PURPOSE; V83=ARRANGE; V84=INCLUDED; V85=STANDUP;

V86=NEGATIVE; V87=POSITIVE; V88=CONCETRT; V89=BEHAVIOR; V90=GJOB;

V91=INTEFER; V92=GENTLE; V93=MONEY; V94=THINGS; V95=IDEAS;

V96=DEATH; V97=SPUR; V98=LIFE; V99=PAID; V100=PUNISHED;

V101=HELP; V102=QUIT; V103=EXCITING; V104=LIKEME; V105=OUTSELF;

V106=POSITON; V107=FIRM; V108=ALONG; V109=EXPRESS; V110=CONFRONT;

V111=RESOLVED; V112=SPTALK; V113=SPCONFLT; V114=SPFEE; V115=SPSUPP;

V116=SPPROD; V117=SPLEIS; V118=FMTALK; V119=FMCONFLT; V120=FMFEE;

V121=FMSUPP; V122=FMPROD; V123=FMLEIS; V124=FRTALK; V125=FRCONFLT;

V126=FRFEE; V127=FRSUPP; V128=FRPROD; V129=FRLEIS; V130=WKTALK;

V131=WKCONFLT; V132=WKFEE; V133=WKSUPP; V134=WKPROD; V135=WKLEIS;

V136=WORKING; V137=PARENTNG; V138=COMUTING; V139=SLEEPNG; V140=EATING;

V141=READING; V142=STUDYING; V143=EXERCISE; V144=SHOPING; V145=DRINKING;

V146=RELAXING; V147=LOVING; V148=NOTHING; V149=PSPORTS; V150=OBSPORT;

V151=RELIGON; V152=CLASSES; V153=CONCERTS; V154=SERVORG; V155=MOVIES;

V156=TOGETHER; V157=COUNSEL; V158=PUBSERV; V159=HYGIENE; V160=HOUSEWOR;

V161=CREATING; V162=ERRANDS; V163=VOLUNTER; V164=DRIVING; V165=DINNING;

V166=HOUSEWK; V167=TVDRAMA; V168=TVSPORT; V169=TVNEWS; V170=TVTALK;

V171=TTALK; V172=ACCEPT; V173=CARE; V174=COPING; V175=DEP1;

V176=DRUGALC; V177=DSM3; V178=DSTRS; V179=DSTRS2; V180=EMPLOY;

V181=LCONTRL; V182=LEAD; V183=LEIS1; V184=LEIS2; V185=LEIS3;

V186=LEIS4; V187=LEIS5; V188=PARAN; V189=QUAL; V190=REL1;

V191=REL2; V192=REL3; V193=REL4; V194=VALUE; V195=FEMALE;

V196=MALE; V197=GENDERX; V198=XANGRY; V199=XTENSE; V200=XAGE;

V201=XFUN; V202=XFITIN; V203=GXANGRY; V204=GXTENSE; V205=AXANGRY;

/EQUATIONS

V12 = *F3 + E12;

V13 = *F3 + E13;

V14 = *F3 + E14;

V19 = *F2 + *V12 + *V38 + E19;

V23 = *F1 + E23;

V38 = *F3 + E38;

V43 = 1F1 + *V14 + E43;

V47 = *F1 + *V38 + E47;

V56 = *F2 + E56;

V57 = 1F2 + E57;

V63 = *F1 + *V13 + E63;

V90 = *F2 + E90;

F1 = *F2 + *F3 + D1;

F2 = *F3 + D2;

/VARIANCES

F3 = 1;

E12 = *;

E13 = *;

E14 = *;

E19 = *;

E23 = *;

E38 = *;

E43 = *;

E47 = *;

E56 = *;

E57 = *;

E63 = *;

E90 = *;

D1 = *;

D2 = *;

/COVARIANCES

E43,E23 = *;

E47,E23 = *;

E47,E43 = *;

E63,E23 = *;

E63,E43 = *;

E63,E47 = *;

/PRINT

FIT=ALL;

TABLE=EQUATION;

/OUTPUT

Parameters;

Standard Errors;

RSquare;

Listing;

DATA='EQSOUT.ETS';

/END

/TITLE

Model built by EQS 6 for Windows

/SPECIFICATIONS

DATA='q:\semguide\lsqmale.ess';

VARIABLES=209; CASES=188;