Hi,

if your AVE and CR are "terrible" that means that the loadings must be low. This happens due to two reasons

1) The model is correctly specified but the measurement error is high

2) The model is misspecified. In my experience, low loadings are mostly due to #2

What was the model's chi-square test? If if it fits, the sample size is rather low implying a low power to reject the model.

This is no disaster.

1) Apply the SWAIN correction to the model testing

Technical Report R function swain: Correcting structural equation model fit s...

2) Respecify the model which will probably mean to increase the number of latent variables or its complexity

Study 1 in this paper provides an illustration of model diagnostics and respec:

Rosman, T., Kerwer, M., Steinmetz, H., Chasiotis, A., Wedderhoff, O., Betsch, C., & Bosnjak, M. (2021). Will COVID‐19‐related economic worries superimpose health worries, reducing nonpharmaceutical intervention acceptance in Germany? A prospective pre‐registered study. International Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12753

If you respec, note the limitations (data dredging) and be transparent. Whether this will decrease your likelihood to get the paper published is different story ;)

Best,

Holger

AVE and CR values that are low indicate a model that is not reliable and valid. This situation may require you to remove items with low reliability, refine your items, increase your sample size, or use an alternative model. Despite your efforts to improve the validity and reliability of your items, if the CFA model does not fit well, you may wish to consider alternative models, such as exploratory factor analysis (EFA), or other types of SEMs, such as partial least squares (PLS) or latent growth curves (LGC).