Factor analysis of the McCarthy scales for groups of white and Mexican-American children

Factor analyses of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (McCarthy Scales) were performed on separate groups of Anglo (N = 186) and Mexican-American (N = 126) children to determine the comparability of underlying structures and to examine the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales for each ethnic group. The subjects, ranging in age from 5.6 to 7.6 years, were randomly selected from school enrollment rosters and stratified by age, sex, and ethnicity. A principal component analysis produced three factors for the Anglo as well as the Mexican-American groups. Examination of the coefficients of congruence indicated a close similarity among the matching factors. Additionally, the factors which emerged for the Anglos and Mexican-Americans corresponded to the scales constituting the McCarthy Scales. The results of the study provide evidence for the construct validity of the McCarthy Scales for children of two ethnic groups.