Challenges and recommendations of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis: A narrative review from a nursing perspective

Abstract

Factor analysis is a statistical method used to explore the underlying structure of a set of variables. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are two widely used methods in this domain. In recent years, new findings have emerged that shed light on the strengths and limitations of both methods. This paper discussed about new findings of EFA and CFA, challenges ahead and some necessary recommendations.

Keywords

• exploratory factor analysis
• confirmatory factor analysis
• construct validity
• challenge