Factor Structure of the CHC Model for the KABC-II: Exploratory Factor Analyses with the 16 Core and Supplementary Subtests

The factor structure of the 16 core and supplementary Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model subtests for the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (KABC-II; Kaufman and Kaufman, 2004a) standardization sample samples aged 7–18 (N = 2025) was examined using exploratory factor analytic techniques (EFA) not included in the KABC-II manual (Kaufman and Kaufman, 2004b). The present results failed to replicate the five-factor CHC-based structure posited by the test publisher at school age. Factor extraction for the core battery suggested four factors, whereas five factors were supported for the total battery configuration. When these structures were transformed with the Schmid and Leiman (Psychometrika, 22, 53–61, 1957) orthgonalization procedure, the second-order general factor accounted for larger portions of total and common variance when compared to the reliable variance accounted for by the resulting four and five first-order factors. Users are encouraged to interpret the KABC-II primarily at the level of the Fluid-Crystallized Index (FCI), with additional consideration of the factor-based scores employed with more caution. Implications for clinical interpretation are discussed.