Lisrel

LISREL—an abbreviation of linear structural relationships—is a statistical software package primarily dedicated to estimating structural equation models (SEMs) although it can handle a variety of other statistical models. SEM unifies several estimation methods into one analytic framework. The methodology has received considerable attention in education research where it has been used to develop and validate measurement instruments, estimate the relationship between students’ development over time and various outcomes of interest, and assess the simultaneous independent effect of a program on students’ achievements.

LISREL’s target uses are students, applied researchers, and practitioners interested in SEM. It is commonly used in the areas of education, psychology, and other social science disciplines. This entry discusses the development of LISREL and then provides an overview of the LISREL statistical package ...