Abstract
The symmetrical bifactor model is often applied to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-hyperactive/impulsive (HI), ADHD-inattentive (IN), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, but this model frequently yields anomalous or inadmissible results. An alternative model, the bifactor S – 1 model, is more appropriate for examining the hierarchical structure of ADHD/ODD symptoms. Both models were applied to ADHD-HI, ADHD-IN, and ODD symptom ratings by mothers, fathers, and teachers for 2142 Spanish children (49.49% girls; ages 8–13 years). The symmetrical bifactor model yielded the typical anomalous loadings, with a weakly defined ADHD-HI specific factor and difficult to interpret associations of general and specific factors with correlates. In contrast, the bifactor S – 1 model with ADHD-HI symptoms as general reference factor produced clearly interpretable results. For mothers and fathers, slightly more than 50% of true score variance in ADHD-IN and ODD symptoms represented specific residual variance not shared with the general ADHD-HI reference factor. For teachers, approximately 69% and 39% of true score variance in ADHD-IN and ODD symptoms, respectively, represented specific residual variance not shared with the general ADHD-HI reference factor. The general ADHD-HI reference factor and specific ADHD-IN and ODD residual factors showed convergent and discriminant validity across sources, along with unique associations with peer rejection, social impairment, and academic impairment factors. The bifactor S – 1 model also yielded results consistent with predictions from trait-impulsivity theory of ADHD/ODD development. Researchers should use the bifactor S – 1 model rather than the symmetrical bifactor model if hypotheses involve the latent hierarchical structure of ADHD/ODD symptoms.
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Notes
Several studies first applied the symmetrical bifactor model to ADHD-HI, ADHD-IN, and ODD symptoms and, with anomalous results (i.e., a specific ADHD-HI factor with no factor variance and negative loadings), then switched to a model referred to as an incomplete bifactor model (i.e., no specific factor for hyperactivity symptoms but with specific factors for ADHD-IN, ADHD-impulsivity and ODD symptoms, e.g., Rodenacker et al. 2017, 2018; Ullebø et al. 2012). These studies therefore switched from the fully symmetrical to an incomplete bifactor model without awareness of the interpretational differences between the fully symmetrical and incomplete models (i.e., in these studies the general factor became a general ADHD-hyperactivity reference factor with specific ADHD-IN, ADHD-impulsivity and ODD residual factors in the incomplete bifactor model).
Invariance of like-symptom loadings and like-symptom thresholds occurred for ADHD-HI, ADHD-IN, and ODD symptoms across boys and girls within each source. Boys had significantly (ps < .001) higher factor means than girls on the general ADHD-HI reference factor for mothers, fathers, and teachers (i.e., latent d values: M = .30, SE = .07, M = .40, SE = .07, and M = .58, SE = .10, respectively).
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by two grants from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spanish Government under award numbers PSI2014-52605-R and PSI2017-82550-R (AEI/FEDER, UE), and a predoctoral fellowship co-financed by MINECO (Spanish Government) and the European Social Fund (BES-2015-075142). Stephen Becker is supported by award number K23MH108603 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the Spanish Government. We thank Cristina Trias for assistance with the study.
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Burns, G.L., Geiser, C., Servera, M. et al. Application of the Bifactor S – 1 Model to Multisource Ratings of ADHD/ODD Symptoms: an Appropriate Bifactor Model for Symptom Ratings. J Abnorm Child Psychol 48, 881–894 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00608-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00608-4