Components of reliability

As an alternative to the analysis of variance approach to reliability a multiple-factor analysis approach is illustrated. The one-factor and the multiple-factor models for reliability are compared. Tests on the latent roots associated with the principal components of intercorrelation matrices are used to determine the number of components to be retained. Conditions under which one or more of the principal components should be utilized are discussed.This investigation was completed at the Oregon Research Institute and supported by NIMH grant MH-0892-01 and NSF grant GB-257. Computations were performed at the Western Data Processing Center and the Health Sciences Computing Facility, University of California at Los Angeles.