Role of confirmatory factor analysis in checking questionnaire's construct validity

Objective To explore the role of confirmatory factor analysis in checking the new questionnaire's construct validity.Methods Using QOL-HBV as a tool,the questionnaire's construct validity was estimated by exploratory factor analysis(principal component analysis,varimax rotation) and confirmatory factor analysis.Results Exploratory factor analysis made QOL-HBV including eight factors,every factor had reasonable explanation(KMO value was 0.883,explanatory total variance was 69.15%),then using factor analysis got two factors;employing confirmatory factor analysis on the eight factors by AMOS got the two-orders and seven factors model.χ2/DF was 1.310,GFI0.90,AGFI0.90.Conclusion The factors using exploratory factor analysis are still having some potential connections and can not be explained.Confirmatory factor analysis can redeem the defect,so it is the best way to combine confirmatory factor analysis with exploratory factor analysis to estimate the questionnaire's construct validity.