Hi,

The logic behind doing EFA is different from CFA. for building and developing a tool, you can use EFA. for theory driven model, one can use CFA. to validate already used tool, you can also use CFA.

Now, regression and Factor analysis are 2 different issues.  

Thank for your reply sir, my doubt is if I can take the major factors identified and take them to predict a different dependent variable?

Hi,

You can do the Factor Analysis with the principal components extraction and with the Varimax rotation to identify the groups of variables. But, remember, the statistical package will do what you want to do with the data, as a researcher (and with literature review) you must decide  if the variables have a logical relation.

To make the regression with the EFA use the SMART-PLS, it works by this metod.

I hope this words can help.

regards.

You can use EFA to extract the principal components with varimax rotation to insure that the latters are not correlated. Than you save the extracted factors that you can use as independent variables in a regression analysis. By doing so you solve the problem of colinearity among independent variables.  I hope this could be of any help for you!

EFA is meant for Pilot Study data to determine the dimensionality of items and to drop poor loading items prior to preparing questionnaire for field study. Once you obtain the field study data, you need to assess the validity and reliability of the constructs. Then proceed the analysis using SEM.

Thanks friends, thank you all for your valuable views