Validação de um modelo de medição multidimensional do Capital Social: uma análise fatorial confirmatória mediante SEM

This study aims to propose a measurement model of social capital in artisan communities engaged in textile activities through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) applying the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Social capital is understood as a multidimensional construct composed of three dimensions: social networks, collective action, and trust. The methodological design is quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational, using a structured instrument applied to a simple random sample of 354 artisans. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify the latent structure of the construct, confirmatory factor analysis to assess convergent and discriminant validity, and a structural equation model to verify the model’s fit. The overall model fit indices were satisfactory, with a chi-square of 82.994 and an RMSEA of 0.105, while incremental and parsimony fit indices also reached optimal levels, above .900 and below .600 respectively, supporting the proposed factorial structure. The SEM confirmed the theoretical relationships between the dimensions, validating their conceptual interdependence as essential components of social capital. This analysis contributes to the field by proposing an empirically validated measurement model of social capital adapted to the specific context of artisan communities.