Lisrel

Lisrel is a commercial software package designed for structural equation modeling (SEM), a multivariate statistical technique used to analyze relationships among observed and latent variables. The name Lisrel is an abbreviation of "Linear Structural Relations." It was first developed in the early 1970s by Dr. Karl Jöreskog and P. C. B. Sörbom and released by the Swedish company LISREL, incorporated by 1975. The software was originally written in the programming language Fortran, but subsequent versions have incorporated graphical user interfaces and support for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

Key features of Lisrel include maximum likelihood estimation, weighted least squares, Bayesian estimation, bootstrapping, and handling nonlinear relations. It also offers model fit indices such as Chi-square, RMSEA, CFI, and TLI, and allows for the analysis of nested models through chi-square difference tests. Lisrel’s syntax allows for detailed specification of measurement and structural models, whereas newer versions provide a more interactive, point-and-click interface that reduces the need for manual coding.

Lisrel has played a significant role in the growth of SEM in academic research, particularly in the social sciences, psychology, and education. It contributed early to the standardization of SEM techniques and remains in use today, although newer open-source alternatives such as R’s lavaan package and the software Amos compete in popularity. Despite declining market share, Lisrel’s robust estimation algorithms continue to be valued for complex modeling tasks requiring advanced algorithms and detailed diagnostics.