Factor Structure of the Non-Cognitive Questionnaire-Revised Across Samples of Black and White College Students

Abstract

The predictive validity of the Non-Cognitive Questionnaire (Tracey and Sedlacek, 1984) has been demonstrated in past research; however, some of the scales of this instrument have been found to have relatively low reliabilities. In an effort to improve measurement, the NCQ was revised and the reliability and validity examined on black and white samples of college entrants. First, the fit of the revised NCQ to the eight hypothesized constructs was examined using confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of 101 black students. It was found that the revised instrument adequately represented the data. Tests of the invariance of the factor structure obtained on the initial black sample to a second black sample ( N = 97) and a white sample ( N = 202) revealed that the factor structure held across samples. It was concluded that the NCQ-R was content valid and that the scales were stable and invariant across race.