Re: Obtaining factor scores with inputed matrix

Posted by polisonica on Oct 31, 2012; 5:16pm
URL: http://spssx-discussion.165.s1.nabble.com/Obtaining-factor-scores-with-inputed-matrix-tp5715966p5715979.html

Thank you for the responses so far. I see the issues is that SPSS works uniquely with the (polychoric) correlation matrix I am providing and ignores the case by case information available when running the EFA.
I have been doing some reading about CATPCA and feels like it may be an appropriate alternative. I am adding some of the information that has been requested. With that information, would CATPCA still be advisable? (first time I look into it, so not feeling 100% confident)

Context: I have a set of indicators that are usually associated with different dimensions of poverty (income, social support, participation, etc.). I am running an exploratory analysis to assess if the dimensions identified theoretically match the data I have.
I am using 16 variables, and working on a dataset with the case by case information for around 1800 cases representing individual respondents.
My variables are both binary and ordinal, ranging from 2 to 7 response categories.

I initially run the factor analysis with ordinary correlations, and the resulting factors look quite different to me. Previous studies on my area of research advise against doing so, and strongly suggest the use of polychoric correlations, which I have calculated and then saved the matrix in a different file.

Finally, to specify that I am not creating a summative scale. I would like to use the factor scores to a) check their correlation against accepted measures of poverty b) identify population groups whose mean scores are significantly different.
I am considering a 5 factor solution.    

So, two questions:
a) Is there any way I can tell SPSS to use both the polychoric correlation matrix and the case by case info to create factor scores?
b) Would CATPCA be a better alternative?