Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Revised Peer Experience Questionnaire (RPEQ) in Assessing Peer Victimization Among Nigerian Sample

Abstract

This study has four primary objectives. First, it examined the latent structure of the peer experience questionnaire which has two independent scales: victimization of others (VO) and victimization of self (VS). Second, it explored the inter-item correlation and internal consistency of RPEQ. Third, it assessed the construct validity of the RPEQ. Fourth, it examined the discriminant validity of the scale. The RPEQ was administered with an aggression and a callousness scale to a sample of the Nigerian adolescence (N = 1200; 606 boys and 594 girls). Their mean age was 15.77years, and SD was 1.26. Three models of the latent structure of RPEQ Scales (VO and VS) were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The RMSEA, NNFI, CFI and IFI for the three models had a relatively good fit. The result of the item-total correlation reached accepted values. Also, the result showed better Cronbach’s alphas for the Two-factor model, VO =. 81; VS =.78. The convergent validity showed that the VO scale of RPEQ has a significant amount of variance in common with aggression and callousness scales than VS. The result also showed ethnic variations in the reaction to the VO and VS. Similarly, boys scored higher in VO than girls, but no important gender difference was found in VS. The report confirmed that one to three factors models of VO or VS is adequate in understanding the construct of peer victimization.