A Large Sample Factor Analysis of the Measures of Criminal Attitudes and Associates in a Diverse Population of Incarcerated Offenders

Antisocial attitudes and associates are central constructs related to antisocial and criminal behavior. The self-report Measures of Criminal Attitudes and Associates (MCAA) has grown in application within the literature over the past 2 decades. However, tests of the MCAA's factor structure can best be described as preliminary, and there has been no test of measurement invariance. For the present study, we examined the reliability and construct validity of the MCAA in a diverse sample of incarcerated adults in the state of Texas (N = 72,099). Using confirmatory factor analysis, we examined the underlying factor structure and tested for measurement invariance across sex, race/ethnicity, and demand characteristics. Our results supported the original four-factor structure of the MCAA, with measurement invariance being demonstrated across sex (i.e., male vs. female), race/ethnicity (i.e., Black non-Hispanic, White Hispanic, White non-Hispanic), and demand characteristics (i.e., mandated vs. voluntary treatment). Modest associations between the MCAA and criminal history variables were observed, with between-group differences yielding small effect sizes. Overall, our findings provide strong support for the four-factor structure and measurement invariance of the MCAA.