The quality of factor solutions in exploratory factor analysis: The influence of sample size, communality, and overdetermination

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sample size and the quality of factor solutions obtained from exploratory factor analysis. This research expanded upon the range of conditions previously examined, employing a broad selection of criteria for the evaluation of the quality of sample factor solutions. Results showed that when communalities are high, sample size tended to have less influence on the quality of factor solutions than when communalities are low. Overdetermination of factors was also shown to improve the factor analysis solution. Finally, decisions about the quality of the factor solution depended open which criteria were examined.