UNIDIMENSIONAL VERSUS DOMAIN REPRESENTATIVE PARCELING OF QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS - AN EMPIRICAL EXAMPLE

Two alternative methods for parceling questionnaire items for use in c onfirmatory analyses are presented. The first method requires that par cels must (a) pass a minimum standard of reliability and (b) provide i ndications of unidimensionality to be retained for analysis. The secon d method requires that parcels be equally representative of the multip le aspects of a domain. The parcels may then serve as adequate indicat ors for the general construct. The latter method is consistent with th e rationale underlying aggregation of measures, a procedure currently recommended for improving the psychometric properties of behavioral me asures of personality. The two methods for parceling and a comparison are illustrated with an empirical example.