Multilevel CFA with intercept invariance across levels

[Leoni]

Is it possible to do a multilevel CFA where I have different loadings AND intercepts across Level 1 and level 2.

I want to use umultilevel models to disentangle the structure on level1 and level 2, allowing for different structures across levels. Eventually, however I am only interested in the Level 1 model and want to get intercepts and loadings for the items on that level. But I believe that the intercepts are at level 2 right? How do I interpret the intercepts that I get from the level 2 model in relation to the level 1 structure? 

I'm curious if what I am thinking about is possible with lavaan?

[Terrence Jorgensen]

Is it possible to do a multilevel CFA where I have different loadings AND intercepts across Level 1 and level 2.

That is the default.  You would have to add constraints to your syntax to make them equal.

 

Eventually, however I am only interested in the Level 1 model

Then perhaps only request cluster-robust results by fitting a one-level model, but still specifying the cluster= argument.

 

and want to get intercepts and loadings for the items on that level. But I believe that the intercepts are at level 2 right? How do I interpret the intercepts that I get from the level 2 model in relation to the level 1 structure? 

The level-1 intercepts are fixed to zero by definition because the data at level-1 are cluster-mean centered.  The data at level-2 are cluster means.

Terrence D. Jorgensen

Assistant Professor, Methods and Statistics

Research Institute for Child Development and Education, the University of Amsterdam

http://www.uva.nl/profile/t.d.jorgensen