Debate: What Are Acceptable Model Fit Standards?

I focused on two commonly used model-fit indices: the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA). For the CFI, I adopted the threshold of ≥ .95 as an indicator of good fit. This criterion follows Hu and Bentler (1999), who recommended CFI ≥ .95 for models to be considered well-fitting. For RMSEA, I used the guideline that values ≤ .06 indicate good model fit, also based on Hu and Bentler’s (1999) widely cited cutoff values. Using these standards, my model demonstrated acceptable fit: the CFI was .96, exceeding the recommended .95 threshold, and the RMSEA was .055, which falls below the .06 criterion. Although some scholars accept more lenient RMSEA thresholds (e.g., < .08), I chose to adopt the stricter criteria to ensure stronger evidence of model adequacy. Overall, based on these indices and thresholds, the model met the standards for good fit.