A Five-Step Guide to Conducting SEM Analysis in Counseling Research

Abstract

The use of structural equation modeling (SEM), a second-generation multivariate analysis technique that determines the degree to which a theoretical model is supported by the sample data, is becoming increasingly popular in counseling research. SEM tests models that include both observed and latent variables, allowing the counseling researcher to confirm the factor structure of a newly developed or existing psychological instruments and to examine the plausibility of complex, theoretical counseling models. This article provides counseling researchers and practitioners with an overview of SEM and presents five steps for conducting SEM analysis in counseling research.

• structural equation modeling
• counseling research

Notes

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or Publication of this article.

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or Publication of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stephanie A. Crockett

Stephanie A. Crockett, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling of the School of Education and Human Services at Oakland University. Her primary research interests include the use of SEM in counseling research, testing/assessment and outcome research in career counseling, and multicultural competence in clinical supervision.