Structural Equation Modeling of Group Differences in CES-D Ratings of Native Hawaiian and Non-Hawaiian High School Students

This report uses different forms of latent variable structural equation models (SEMs) of group differences in self-reported Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) inventory results among a sample of Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian high school students.The models examined are organized progressively by increasing complexity, including mean differences models in the ANOVA tradition, mean differences combined with path analysis models, extensions to confirmatory factor analysis models, and common factor differences in multiple group models.Within each type of analysis, SEMs are defined and fitted to real CES-D data, and broad issues of group differences and invariance are considered.The substantive results indicate a high degree of invariance between Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian students within the same high schools on self-ratings of depression from the CES-D scale.These analyses illustrate theoretical and practical issues about common features and relationships among standard analysis of variance approaches and contemporary structural equation methodology.