Measuring achievement motivation: tests of equivalency for English, German, and Israeli versions of the achievement motivation inventory

We examined the measurement equivalency of the Achievement Motivation Inventory (AMI), a recently developed multi-faceted measure of achievement motivation, across three countries: Germany (n=1433), Israel (n=688), and the US (n=745). Two a priori models ranging from least restrictive (i.e., same number of constructs, same factor pattern, non-equivalent values) to most restrictive (i.e., equivalence of factor loadings) were tested using EQS multi-group analysis to determine the level of measurement equivalency. Results show that achievement motivation as measured by the AMI is a multi-faceted construct with three first-order factors. The factor structure and pattern of factor loadings were nearly equal across the three samples, indicating a cross-cultural equivalency. Discussion includes implications for using the AMI and recommendations for future research.