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As previous studies have shown that personality disorder (PD) assessment in older adults is often hampered because assessment tools are tailored toward younger adults, establishing the age-neutrality of novel tools is crucial. This study primarily aimed to evaluate the age-neutrality of the Level of Personality Functioning Brief Form (LPFS-BF 2.0) and the Personality Inventory for DSM -5 Modified + (PID-5-BF+M), using a sample of 254 community-dwelling adults. The analysis of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) demonstrated the age-neutrality of both instruments, with only 8.3% of LPFS-BF 2.0 items and 5.6% of PID-5-BF+M items exhibiting DIF. Differential Test Functioning (DTF) analyses revealed large DTF for the LPFS-BF 2.0 total score, indicating that age-specific norms might be necessary for this score. In summary, this study supports the use of these instruments in both older and younger adults, enhancing the assessment of PDs across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traits of the dark triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) capture the individual differences in the aversive personality. The dark triad has shown significant relations with behaviors that affect people's lives. One of the best-known instruments to assess the dark triad is the Dirty Dozen. However, controversy continues over the use of one general dark triad score or, conversely, three different scores. This study aimed to investigate the factor structure of the Dirty Dozen across eight global regions. There were 11,477 participants in 49 countries grouped into eight regions. Different factor structures were studied using confirmatory factor analyses. Both the three-dimensional models and the bifactor models (symmetrical or traditional and non-symmetrical or bifactor-[S – 1]) showed a good fit to the data. The bifactor-(S – 1) models (with psychopathy or Machiavellianism as the reference factors) show adequate fit to the data, supported by the coherence of the factorial loadings and the bifactor indices. Regarding measurement invariance for both models, configural, metric, and scalar invariance were satisfied. The results indicate that it is not clear whether a psychopathy or Machiavellianism reference factor predominates in the Dirty Dozen. For both models, templates are provided to obtain standardized scores for applied researchers in the eight studied world regions until future studies offer a greater amount of validity evidence for this instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated how the number of response options affects the psychometric properties of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2). Using two large samples collected from a market research company (N s = 893 and 1,213), we tested how different response options of the BFI-2 influenced scale score distributions, internal consistency estimates, convergent validity correlations, and criterion validity correlations. Results suggest that score distributions were impacted by the number of response options such that ceiling and floor effects were more common when using two or three response options than when using more options. Estimates of Cronbach's alpha were generally lower with fewer scale points as compared with more scale points, but these effects disappeared when ordinal alpha was used. There were no systematic effects of response options on convergent validity and criterion validity correlations. Given these results, there seems to be few psychometric reasons for deciding whether to administer personality items with five, six, or seven scale points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media (SM) use has been primarily operationalized as frequency of use or as passive versus active use. We hypothesize that these constructs have shown mixed associations with psychological constructs because the factor structure underlying social media use (SMU) has not been fully identified. We conducted three studies with college students. In Study 1 (N = 176), we collected data about participants' SMU, informing item generation. In Study 2 (N = 311), we tested two factor structures: (a) passive, active social, and active non-social and (b) a hypothesized four-factor structure. Neither confirmatory model produced acceptable fits, but an exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor model: belief-based, consumption-based, image-based, and comparison-based SMU. This four-factor structure was supported in Study 3 (N = 397), which was preregistered, via a confirmatory factor analysis. The subscale items showed good internal consistencies, and evidence is presented for convergent validity. These factors represent a novel classification of people's SMU that can be measured with the Social Media Use Scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconsistent or careless responding is a significant threat to the validity of self-reported personality data. Using archival samples of undergraduate and community participants, we developed an inconsistent responding scale using items that appear on both the 60- and 100-item versions of the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised—two widely used measures of the HEXACO model of personality trait structure. We identified pairs of correlated HEXACO items in Sample 1 and created a total inconsistent responding score by summing absolute differences between each item pair. The Brief Response Inconsistency Evaluation (BRIE) for the HEXACO effectively differentiated between genuine and randomly generated responses across samples. The BRIE also correlated as expected with other measures of careless responding and relevant personality traits (e.g., conscientiousness). Tentative cut scores for the BRIE that appear to provide a reasonable balance between sensitivity and specificity in Sample 1 were investigated. Future research should examine the BRIE with different populations and translations of the HEXACO inventories and further investigate the effectiveness of the recommended cut scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the comparative nonpatient study of Pianowski et al., we examine data from the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) and Comprehensive System (CS) in 100 nonpatients and 100 patients, 50 of each per system. Replicating their results but now in a patient sample, R-PAS produced more patient protocols having an optimal number of responses (R) for interpretation and eliminated the need for readministration due to low R. The R-PAS protocols were also much less variable in R, despite having about 2.5 more responses. Extending their results, we document that the primary markers of psychopathology in each system validly differentiate patients from nonpatients. However, R-PAS produced stronger effects. Finally, Complexity added to the valid discrimination of patients from nonpatients just for R-PAS, with patients producing less complex and rich records. The more erratic variability in R for the CS produced larger Complexity standard deviations (SDs) that obscured these genuine differences in people. We discuss implications for research and applied practice, along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differing perspectives on the operationalization of schizotypal personality pathology (STPP) have led to numerous multidimensional assessment measures. The current study applied the interpersonal construct validation approach to self-report data from 856 undergraduate students to formally examine the interpersonal content, similarities, and differences in the subscales of four measures of STPP within and across two interpersonal circumplex surfaces using a bootstrapping methodology for computing confidence intervals around circumplex structural summary method parameters. Results suggested that negative-like expressions of STPP are prototypically and distinctively interpersonal constructs associated with cold and socially avoidant interpersonal problems and hypersensitivity to others' warmth and affection. Positive-like expressions of STPP as assessed by two out of four measures were prototypically and distinctively interpersonal constructs associated with vindictiveness. Across four measures, there was notable overlap in interpersonal correlates among related subscales, suggesting convergent validity. However, subscales containing social anxiety content were associated with more submissive (i.e., socially avoidant) interpersonal problems than subscales without social anxiety content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research assessing the relationship of the five-factor model (FFM) to personality disorder symptomatology has generally been confirmatory, with three exceptions. The exceptions have been failures to confirm associations of conscientiousness with the obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, agreeableness with dependent, and openness with schizotypal. Haigler and Widiger demonstrated empirically years ago that this was occurring because the predominant FFM measure at that time, the NEO Personality Inventory–Revised, does not include a sufficient representation of maladaptive variants of the respective FFM personality trait domains. Research since their study has continued to fail to confirm the FFM hypotheses, using other measures of the FFM. The current study extended the work of Haigler and Widiger by considering three additional FFM measures, the Big Five Inventory–2 (BFI-2), the International Item Pool–NEO-120 (IPIP-NEO-120), and the Inventory of Personal Characteristics–5 (IPC-5). Data were obtained from a community sample of adults with experience of mental health treatment. The results confirmed an improvement in the FFM–personality disorder relationships when the experimentally manipulated versions of the BFI-2, IPIP-NEO-120, and IPC-5 were used. The implications of the findings for existing and future FFM–personality disorder research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality–Lexical Rating Scale (CAPP-LRS) is a self-report instrument designed to index psychopathy according to the CAPP psychopathy framework. Developed with the expressed goal of advancing the state of knowledge regarding the specific features of psychopathy, the CAPP model and associated instruments have garnered increasing attention and support in the field. Despite the conceptual strength of the CAPP model, the advanced lexical structure of its primary research tool (the CAPP-LRS) has led researchers to question the utility of the instrument for use with some populations of interest (e.g., forensic/correctional and adolescent/young adult samples). The aim of the present work was to address this issue by creating a lexically simplified, though functionally equivalent, version of the CAPP-LRS to increase accessibility to critically relevant populations. A set of two studies (N = 602) describes the adaptation protocol and the initial validation of the modified instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite enthusiasm for using intensive longitudinal designs to measure day-to-day manifestations of personality underlying differences between people, the validity of personality state scales has yet to be established. In this study, we evaluated the psychometrics of 20-item and 10-item daily, Big Five personality state scales in three independent samples (N = 1,041). We used multilevel models to separately examine the validity of the scales for assessing personality variation at the between- and within-person levels. Results showed that a five-factor structure at both levels fits the data well, the scales had good convergent and discriminative associations with external variables, and personality states captured similar nomological nets as established global, self-report personality inventories. Limitations of the scales were identified (e.g., low reliability, low correlations with external criterion) that point to a need for more, systematic psychometric work. Our findings provide initial support for the use of personality state scales in intensive longitudinal designs to study between-person traits, within-person processes, and their interrelationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agency and communion are the two fundamental content dimensions in psychology. The two dimensions figure prominently in many psychological realms (personality, social, self, motivational, cross-cultural, etc.). In contemporary research, however, personality is most commonly measured within the Big Five framework. We developed novel agency and communion scales based on the items from the most popular nonpropriety measure of the Big Five—the Big Five Inventory. We compared four alternative scale-construction methods: expert rating, target scale, ant colony, and brute force. Across three samples (N total = 942), all methods yielded reliable and valid agency and communion scales. Our research provides two main contributions. For psychometric theory, it extends knowledge on the four scale-construction methods and their relative convergence. For psychometric practice, it enables researchers to examine agency and communion hypotheses with extant Big Five Inventory data sets, including those collected in their own labs as well as openly accessible, large-scale data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on self-reported executive functioning (EF) and personality has largely focused on normative personality traits. While previous research has demonstrated that maladaptive personality traits are associated with performance-based EF, the literature examining the relationship between these traits and self-reported EF is limited. The current study examined the relationship between multiple domains of self-reported EF (Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale) and both normative (The International Personality Item Pool–NEO–120 Item [IPIP-120]) and maladaptive (Personality Inventory for DSM-5 –Short Form [PID-5-SF]) personality traits in an undergraduate student sample (n = 354). Similar to past research, relationships were largest across EF domains for both measures related to neuroticism (i.e., IPIP-120 neuroticism and PID-5-SF negative affectivity) and conscientiousness (i.e., IPIP-120 conscientiousness and PID-5-SF disinhibition). Normative personality traits generally accounted for greater variance in EF when examined alone and were also generally associated with greater incremental validity when compared with maladaptive personality traits. However, multiple regression analyses indicated that maladaptive personality traits added unique predictive variance above and beyond normative personality traits in their association with multiple domains of EF. These results highlight the utility of assessing both normative and maladaptive personality traits as well as multiple domains of EF to more fully understand the relationship between personality and EF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the translation into German and validation of two self-report measures of mind-wandering and boredom (the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind-Wandering Scales and the Short Boredom Proneness Scale). Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the original conceptualization of the constructs. To evaluate measurement invariance across samples, data were collected in a German-speaking sample (n = 418) and an English-speaking sample (n = 364). The results indicated weak measurement invariance. To explore the interplay between mind-wandering and boredom, we performed an exploratory graph analysis in the entire sample (N = 782), which revealed the structure of relationships between boredom and the two facets of mind-wandering. The results are discussed in the context of theoretical accounts of boredom and mind-wandering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders Module I (SCID-5-AMPD-I) assessing the Level of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) in a heterogeneous sample of 282 nonpsychotic patients. Latent variable models were used to investigate the dimensionality of the LPFS. The results indicate that the LPFS, as assessed by the SCID-5-AMPD-I, can be considered as a unidimensional construct that can be measured reliably across a wide range of the latent trait. Threshold parameters for the 12 indicators of the LPFS increased gradually over the latent scale, indicating that the five LPFS levels were ordered as predicted by the model. In general, the increase of threshold parameters was relatively small for the shift from Level 2 to Level 3. A better distinction among the different severity levels might be obtained by fine-tuning the interview guidelines or the Level 2 indicators themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Big Five and the interpersonal circumplex are among the most extensively used structural frameworks in personality research. Of the five factors, extraversion and agreeableness are theorized to carry the most interpersonal context, however, all five factors are likely to have important interpersonal implications. In the present study, we evaluated the associations between domains of interpersonal functioning and the Big Five domains and facets using the bootstrapped structural summary method. Results suggested that all Big Five traits showed prototypical and specific interpersonal profiles, with variability observed across lower order facets and domains of interpersonal functioning. Several Big Five traits and facets not overtly related to interpersonal behavior nonetheless showed specific, prototypical associations to interpersonal profiles. Findings suggest that Big Five traits and facets are saturated with interpersonal content and even personality characteristics that are not explicitly interpersonal may still have specific interpersonal implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the internal consistency and factor structure of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 –Brief Form (PID-5-BF), and its relationship to aggression in 438 incarcerated Australian male offenders. Results provide support for the internal consistency and five-factor and bifactor structure of the PID-5-BF. The PID-5-BF total score, as well as the domains of Antagonism, Disinhibition, and Negative Affect (low), demonstrated significant relationships with aggression. These results provide preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the PID-5-BF within prison settings, and suggest that a PID-5-BF assessment may be useful within forensic settings to screen for broad maladaptive personality characteristics that are indicative of a greater propensity for aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological assessments can be essentially invalidated by examinees' intentional response styles, such as feigning (i.e., fabrication or marked overreporting of symptoms/impairment) and defensiveness (i.e., denial or minimization of symptoms/impairment). As a psychometric strength, the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) has established validity indicators for identifying both response styles. With the United States' increasing ethnic and cultural diversity, predominantly Spanish-speaking individuals are now estimated in the range of 15 million persons. Unfortunately, very little research has been conducted on the Spanish-translated PAI regarding its effectiveness in clinical populations. Using a between-subjects design, a sample of mostly Spanish-speaking outpatients was randomly assigned to genuine, feigning, or defensive conditions. For feigning, PAI malingering indicators using rare symptoms strategies (i.e., Negative Impression [NIM] and Negative Distortion [NDS] scales) demonstrated moderate to large effect sizes. For defensiveness, the Defensive (DEF) index proved the most effective with a very large effect size (M = 1.68). Different cut scores were examined to increase the clinical utility of the Spanish PAI for determining response styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that stimulus pull is one of the contributory factors influencing Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) responses. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of studies examining this. In particular, the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale–Global Rating Method (SCORS-G) has been employed to examine stimulus pull in adult clinical and nonclinical samples. The present study is the first attempt to examine this issue in a nonclinical sample of children. Ninety-eight children from Italian elementary (1st to 5th grade) and middle (6th to 8th grade) schools provided narratives to six TAT cards (1, 2, 3BM, 4, 8BM, and 16). Some important findings with regard to variance within scales replicate prior findings from other studies. Furthermore, some findings regarding the specific nature of pull for particular TAT cards (1, 2, 3BM, and 4) replicate prior work. Given that Cards 8BM and 16's SCORS-G stimulus properties have not been previously studied, the pull of these cards is explored. Last, SCORS-G differences/similarities across these two age groups are highlighted. Suggestions for further research in this field are also provided, particularly concerning the use of SCORS-G and TAT for clinical assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative to broad Big Five domains, personality facets provide incremental value in predicting life outcomes. Valid between-group comparisons of means and correlates of facet scores are contingent upon measurement invariance of personality measures. Research on culture and Big Five personality has been largely limited to cross-national comparisons of domains, without assessing measurement invariance across ethnoracial groups within the same country. Using the NEO Inventories, we tested facet-level measurement invariance between Euro (N = 418, 63.2% women, Mage = 18.43) and Asian Americans (N = 429, 56.6% women, Mage = 18.00). Multigroup exploratory factor analysis within a confirmatory factor analysis framework showed partial strong invariance. Assertiveness and activity did not load onto extraversion as strongly for Asian Americans. Self-consciousness showed a stronger cross-loading onto extraversion among Asian Americans than Euro Americans. Achievement striving, competence, warmth, tender-mindedness, and excitement seeking showed noninvariant intercepts across groups. Collectivistic values emphasizing interpersonal harmony and modesty should be considered when examining narrow and broad traits among Asian Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essence of measurement invariance (MI) analysis is to test the assumption that observed scores on a scale accurately reflect respondents' standings on a measured construct. Based on exploratory structural equation modeling, the current study examines gender-based MI in two Big Five measures of personality: the Mini-IPIP, and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) facet scales. We report results for MI based on both model fit indices and a practical significance index that quantifies the extent of noninvariance (i.e., dMACS). From the latter, we partition the observed group mean differences in scale scores into construct-irrelevant group differences versus construct-relevant group differences. In measures of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism across instruments, results supported metric invariance but not scalar invariance. That said, findings of statistical noninvariance were generally small in terms of practical effects, although some notable variability in the effects was evident. Overall, the current results provide evidence regarding gender-based MI of Big Five personality measures that are more detailed than that provided in past work. More generally, this study also provides useful guidance for future researchers investigating both the statistical and practical significance of measurement invariance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most prominent paradigms employed for the assessment of risk taking in the laboratory, and it was shown to distinguish between various patient groups and controls. The present study was conducted to test the psychometric characteristics of the original IGT and of a new gambling task variant for assessing individual differences. Two studies were conducted with adults of the general population (n = 220) and with adolescents (n = 389). Participants were also tested on multiple measures of working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, personality traits associated with risk-taking behavior, and self-reported risk taking in various domains. Both gambling tasks had only moderate retest reliability within the same session. Moderate relations were obtained with cognitive ability. However, card selections in the gambling tasks were not correlated with personality or risk taking. These findings point to limitations of IGT type gambling tasks for the assessment of individual differences in risky decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-report measures of global well-being are thought to reflect the overall quality of people's lives. However, several scholars have argued that people rely on heuristics, such as current mood, when reporting their global well-being. Experiential well-being measures, such as the day reconstruction method (DRM), have been proposed as an alternative technique to obtain a potentially more accurate assessment of well-being. Across two multimethod, short-term longitudinal studies, we compared the psychometric properties of global self-reports and short-form DRM-based assessments of well-being. We evaluated their stability across one month, tested their convergent validity using self–informant agreement, and evaluated correlations with personality traits. Results indicated that global measures of well-being were more stable than DRM-based experiential measures. Self–informant agreement was also either equal across global and DRM measures or higher for global measures. Correlations with personality were similar across approaches. These findings suggest that DRM and global measures of well-being have similar psychometric properties when used to provide an overall assessment of a person's typical level of subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a Limited Prosocial Emotions specifier was added to the conduct disorder diagnostic criteria to designate a subgroup of children who exhibit callous unemotional (CU) traits. The Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU) is the only dedicated measure of CU traits and was influential in the development of the Limited Prosocial Emotions specifier. Despite its role in the research and diagnosis of CU traits, some questions have persisted regarding the internal consistency and validity of the ICU and its three subscales: callous, uncaring, and unemotional. Results of a meta-analysis revealed acceptable internal consistency and external validity for total ICU, callous, and uncaring scores, but not unemotional scores. These results support the utility of the total ICU, callous, and uncaring scales, but indicate weaknesses in the scale or construct of unemotionality as it relates to interpersonal callousness, uncaring, and antisociality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic association studies routinely require many thousands of participants to achieve sufficient power, yet accumulation of large well-assessed samples is costly. We describe here an effort to efficiently measure cognitive ability and personality in an online genetic study, Genes for Good. We report on the first 21,550 participants with relevant phenotypic data, 7,458 of whom have been genotyped genome-wide. Measures of crystallized and fluid intelligence reflected a two-dimensional latent ability space, with items demonstrating adequate item-level characteristics. The Big Five Inventory questionnaire revealed the expected five-factor model of personality. Cognitive measures predicted educational attainment over and above personality characteristics, as expected. We found that a genome-wide polygenic score of educational attainment predicted educational level, accounting for 4%, 4%, and 2.7% of the variance in educational attainment, verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning, respectively. In summary, the online cognitive measures in Genes for Good appear to perform adequately and demonstrate expected associations with personality, education, and an education-based polygenic score. Results indicate that online cognitive assessment is one avenue to accumulate large samples of individuals for genetic research of cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies were conducted to investigate redundancy between the character strengths found in the VIA model of character and familiar personality facets. Study 1 used a community sample (N = 606) that completed a measure of character strengths, four personality inventories, and 17 criterion measures. The second study used Mechanical Turk workers (N = 498) who completed measures of the HEXACO and VIA models and 111 criterion variables. Analyses were conducted using both observed scores and true score estimates, evaluating both predictive and conceptual overlap. Eight of 24 VIA scales proved to be largely redundant with one HEXACO personality facet, but only one VIA scale (Appreciation of Beauty) was largely redundant with Five Factor facets. All strength scales except Spirituality overlapped substantially with at least one personality facet. The results suggest the VIA Classification variables are strongly related to commonly measured personality facets, but the two models are not redundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the 100-item short form of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5-SF), 2,143 community-dwelling adults (59.6% female), and 706 adult clinical participants (52.4% female) were administered the Italian translation of the PID-5. Clinical participants were also administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-II), and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+). Item response theory analysis showed that all proposed PID-5-SF items showed adequate item discrimination parameters in both community-dwelling adults and clinical adults. All PID-5-SF trait scales showed satisfactory internal consistency estimates. PID-5-SF five-factor structure closely matched the factor structure of the PID-5 in both community-dwelling participants and clinical participants and was invariant across the two samples that participated in this study. Moreover, the factor structure of the PID-5-SF closely replicated the factor of the PID-5-SF that was originally reported in Maples et al.'s study. In our clinical sample, dominance analysis results showed that PID-5-SF scales explained a nonnegligible and significant amount of variance in both SCID-II and PDQ-4+ ratings of selected DSM-5 Section II personality disorder, and the use of the PID-5-SF did not result in a substantial loss of information as compared with the original PID-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four studies investigated the construct validity of the brief version of the German Narcissistic Personality Inventory–13 (G-NPI-13). Study 1 (N = 603) confirmed the three-factor structure of the G-NPI-13 and its associations with the NPI-40 and the NPI-16. In Study 2 (N = 438), the convergent and discriminant validity of the G-NPI-13 was analyzed by investigating its relationships with the "Big Five," self-esteem, and mental health variables (depression, anxiety, stress symptoms; life satisfaction, happiness, social support). Study 3 (N = 118) provided further support for the convergence between the G-NPI-13 and the NPI-40 by investigating their associations with vulnerable narcissism, self-monitoring, and mental health. In Study 4 (N = 82), the 1-year test–retest reliability (three measurement time points) of the G-NPI-13 was investigated. Taken together, the G-NPI-13 is a valid, reliable, and economical instrument for measuring the personality trait narcissism. Possible practical applications and limitations of the G-NPI-13 are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) has enjoyed widespread use in the study of the narcissism. However, questions have been raised about whether the PNI's grandiosity scale adequately captures narcissistic grandiosity as well as other popular measures do. Specifically, some have noted that PNI grandiosity shows a pattern of external associations that diverges from patterns for narcissistic grandiosity predicted by experts, and is more similar to the predictions for the vulnerability scale than is desirable. Previous research driving these critiques has relied on patterns of zero-order correlations to examine the nomological networks of these scales. The present study reexamines the nomological networks of PNI grandiosity and vulnerability scales using hierarchical regression. Results indicate that once accounting for overlapping variance of vulnerability and grandiosity, the unique variance in the PNI's grandiosity scale closely matches contemporary expert conceptualizations of narcissistic grandiosity based on expected associations with other personality variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the comparability of laptop computer- and tablet-based administration modes for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Employing a counterbalanced within-subjects design, the MMPI-2-RF was administered via both modes to a sample of college undergraduates (N = 133). Administration modes were compared in terms of mean scale scores, internal consistency, test–retest consistency, external validity, and administration time. Mean scores were generally similar, and scores produced via both methods appeared approximately equal in terms of internal consistency and test–retest consistency. Scores from the two modalities also evidenced highly similar patterns of associations with external criteria. Notably, tablet administration of the MMPI-2-RF was substantially longer than laptop administration in the present study (mean difference 7.2 minutes, Cohen's d =.95). Overall, results suggest that varying administration mode between laptop and tablet has a negligible influence on MMPI-2-RF scores, providing evidence that these modes of administration can be considered psychometrically equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on narcissism has shown it to be multidimensional construct. As such, the relations the larger construct bear with certain outcomes may mask heterogeneity apparent at the more basic trait level. This article used the Five Factor Narcissism Inventory, a Five-Factor Model–based measure of narcissism that allows for multiple levels of analysis, to examine the relative importance of narcissistic traits in relation to aggression, externalizing behavior, and self-esteem outcomes in two independent samples. The relative importance of the narcissism factors was determined through the use of dominance analysis—a relatively underused method for determining relative importance among a set of related predictors. The results showed that antagonism, compared with agentic extraversion and neuroticism, was the dominant predictor across all forms of aggressive behavior. Additional analyses showed that subscales within the broader factor of antagonism also showed differential importance relative to one another for certain aggression outcomes. The results are discussed in the context of the relation between narcissism and aggression and highlight the utility of using extensions of regression-based analyses to explore the heterogeneity within personality constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that the Rorschach human movement (M) response could be associated with an embodied simulation mechanism mediated by the mirror neuron system (MNS). To date, evidence for this hypothesis comes from two electroencephalogram studies and one repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study. To provide additional data on this topic, the Rorschach was administered during fMRI to a sample of 26 healthy adult volunteers. Activity in MNS-related brain areas temporally associated with M responses was compared with such activity for other, non-M Rorschach responses. Data analyses focused on MNS regions of interest identified by Neurosynth, a web-based platform for large scale, automated meta-analysis of fMRI data. Consistent with the hypothesis that M responses involve embodied simulation and MNS activity, univariate region of interest analyses showed that production of M responses associated with significantly greater activity in MNS-related brain areas when compared with non-M Rorschach responses. This finding is consistent with the traditional interpretation of the M code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate 11 Rorschach variables with potential for assessing grandiosity and narcissism. Seven of these variables were drawn from previous literature: Omnipotence, Idealization, Reflection, Personal Knowledge Justification, Exhibitionism, Magic, and Elevated Mood States; four were developed for this research: Expanded Personal Reference, Narcissistic Devaluation, Narcissistic Deflation, and Narcissistic Denial. Using Rorschach protocols from American normative adults and Italian adult outpatients, the dimensional structure of these variables was evaluated by principal components analysis, and validity was tested by correlations with clinician ratings of narcissism on two scales from the Shedler–Westen Assessment Procedure–200 that were made after at least five sessions with the primary clinician. A cohesive dimension was found in both data sets defined by Expanded Personal Reference, Personal Knowledge Justification, Omnipotence, and Idealization, and it was meaningfully correlated with the clinician ratings of narcissism (M r = .41). Implications of the findings include the applicability of these variables in clinical practice and research for assessing narcissistic personality dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is the first to investigate the Personality Assessment Screener, a brief self-report measure of risk for emotional and behavioral dysfunction, in relation to the informant report version of this instrument, the Personality Assessment Screener–Other. Among a sample of undergraduate roommate dyads (N = 174), self-report and informant report total scores on the Personality Assessment Screener/Personality Assessment Screener–Other moderately converged (r = 0.45), with generally greater agreement between perspectives observed for externalizing behaviors compared with internalizing distress. In addition, selves tended to report more psychological difficulties relative to informant ratings (d = 0.45) with an average absolute discrepancy between sources of 6.31 (SD = 4.96) out of a possible range of 66. Discrepancies between self-report and informant report were significantly associated with characteristics of the dyadic relationship (e.g., length of acquaintanceship) as well as the severity of self-reported psychological difficulties and positive impression management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) measures the trait part (Criterion B) of the alternative model for personality disorders proposed in Section III of DSM-5. Although its psychometric properties have proven adequate thus far, evidence is limited in other languages and in clinical samples. The Spanish PID-5 was examined in two samples comprising 446 clinical and 1,036 community subjects. Facet scales showed good internal consistency in both samples (median α = .86 and .79) and were unidimensional under exploratory and confirmatory approaches. They were also able to distinguish between clinical and community subjects with a mean standardized difference of z = 0.81. All facets except for Risk Taking were unipolar, such that the upper poles indicated pathology and the lower poles reflected normality, rather than the opposite pole of abnormality. The entire PID-5 hierarchical structure, from one to five factors, was confirmed in both samples with Tucker’s congruence coefficients over .95. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined measurement invariance of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), assessing the five-factor model (FFM) of personality among Euro American (N = 290) and Asian international (N = 301) students (47.8% women, Mage = 19.69 years). The full 60-item NEO-FFI data fit the expected five-factor structure for both groups using exploratory structural equation modeling, and achieved configural invariance. Only 37 items significantly loaded onto the FFM-theorized factors for both groups and demonstrated metric invariance. Threshold invariance was not supported with this reduced item set. Groups differed the most in the item–factor relationships for Extraversion and Agreeableness, as well as in response styles. Asian internationals were more likely to use midpoint responses than Euro Americans. While the FFM can characterize broad nomothetic patterns of personality traits, metric invariance with only the subset of NEO-FFI items identified limits direct group comparisons of correlation coefficients among personality domains and with other constructs, and of mean differences on personality domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impact of ego depletion on selected Rorschach cognitive processing variables and self-reported affect states. Research indicates acts of effortful self-regulation transiently deplete a finite pool of cognitive resources, impairing performance on subsequent tasks requiring self-regulation. We predicted that relative to controls, ego-depleted participants’ Rorschach protocols would have more spontaneous reactivity to color, less cognitive sophistication, and more frequent logical lapses in visualization, whereas self-reports would reflect greater fatigue and less attentiveness. The hypotheses were partially supported; despite a surprising absence of self-reported differences, ego-depleted participants had Rorschach protocols with lower scores on two variables indicative of sophisticated combinatory thinking, as well as higher levels of color receptivity; they also had lower scores on a composite variable computed across all hypothesized markers of complexity. In addition, self-reported achievement striving moderated the effect of the experimental manipulation on color receptivity, and in the Depletion condition it was associated with greater attentiveness to the tasks, more color reactivity, and less global synthetic processing. Results are discussed with an emphasis on the response process, methodological limitations and strengths, implications for calculating refined Rorschach scores, and the value of using multiple methods in research and experimental paradigms to validate assessment measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anger has high prevalence in clinical and forensic settings, and it is associated with aggressive behavior and ward atmosphere on psychiatric units. Dysregulated anger is a clinical problem in Danish mental health care systems, but no anger assessment instruments have been validated in Danish. Because the Novaco Anger Scale and Provocation Inventory (NAS-PI) has been extensively validated with different clinical populations and lends itself to clinical case formulation, it was selected for translation and evaluation in the present multistudy project. Psychometric properties of the NAS-PI were investigated with samples of 477 nonclinical, 250 clinical, 167 male prisoner, and 64 male forensic participants. Anger prevalence and its relationship with other anger measures, anxiety/depression, and aggression were examined. NAS-PI was found to have high reliability, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity, and its scores discriminated the samples. High scores in the offender group demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining self-report assessments of anger with this population. Retrospective and prospective validity of the NAS were tested with the forensic patient sample regarding physically aggressive behavior in hospital. Regression analyses showed that higher scores on NAS increase the risk of having acted aggressively in the past and of acting aggressively in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined whether informant-reported personality was more or less internally consistent than self-reported personality in an epidemiological community sample (n = 1,449). Results indicated that across the 5 NEO (Neuroticism–Extraversion–Openness) personality factors and the 10 personality disorder trait dimensions, informant reports tended to be more internally consistent than self reports, as indicated by equal or higher Cronbach’s alpha scores and higher average interitem correlations. In addition, the informant reports collectively outperformed the self reports for predicting responses on a global measure of health, indicating that the informant reports are not only more reliable than self reports, but they can also be useful in predicting an external criterion. Collectively these findings indicate that informant reports tend to have greater internal consistency than self reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malingered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) poses a formidable clinical challenge because of the apparent ease in feigning PTSD. As an additional confound, some patients with genuine PTSD produce elevated profiles on feigning indicators that are difficult to distinguish from feigned PTSD. The current study utilized 109 inpatients from a trauma unit to examine whether the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress can effectively differentiate between genuine and feigned PTSD. As a primary focus, Resnick’s model of malingered PTSD was evaluated with its three subtypes: pure malingering, partial malingering, and false imputation. They were tested on their ability to (a) effectively simulate PTSD and (b) avoid being classified as feigning. The partial malingering group proved to be the best feigning group in achieving these two goals. Overall, the Personality Assessment Inventory Malingering Index and Negative Distortion Scale were the most effective at identifying feigning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the dimensional structure of the UCLA Loneliness Scale ([UCLA-LS], UCLA-3). Data from the Northern Ireland Young Life and Times Survey (2011), a survey of 1,434 16-year-olds, was used to examine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to compare alternative factor analytical models that can inform the scoring of the measure and determine the degree to which different factors provided unique predictive utility. Fit statistics indicated that the best fitting model comprised three correlated factors: Isolation, Related Connectedness, and Collective Connectedness. These findings were consistent with previous findings that identified the multidimensional nature of the UCLA-LS. The study also found evidence that the subscales were differentially associated with psychiatric morbidity as measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and provides a more reliable and comprehensive framework to assess the clinical significance of loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Five-Factor Model Rating Form (FFMRF) provides a brief, one-page assessment of the Five-Factor Model. An important and unique aspect of the FFMRF is that it is the only brief measure that includes scales for the 30 facets proposed by Costa and McCrae. The current study builds on existing validity support for the FFMRF by evaluating its factorial invariance across gender within a sample of 699 undergraduate students. Consistent with other measures of the Five-Factor Model, men scored lower than women on the domains of neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness but slightly higher on openness. The novel contribution of the current study is the use of exploratory structural equation modeling to determine that the FFMRF displayed a five-factor structure that demonstrated strong measurement invariance across gender. This factorial invariance adds important support for the validity of the FFMRF as a self-report measure as it indicates that the scores assess the same latent constructs in men and women. Although future work is needed to clarify some facet-level findings and evaluate for potential predictive biases, the present results add to the increasing body of research supporting the validity of the FFMRF as a self-report measure of personality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although numerous studies have examined the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Personality Assessment Inventory in correctional contexts, only two studies to date have specifically focused on suicide ideation. This article examines the convergent validity of the Suicide Ideation Scale and the Suicide Potential Index on the Personality Assessment Inventory in a large, nontreatment sample of male and female federal inmates (N = 1,120). The data indicated robust validity support for both the Suicide Ideation Scale and Suicide Potential Index, which were each correlated with a broad group of validity indices representing multiple assessment modalities. Recommendations for future research to build upon these findings through replication and extension are made. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) in a sample of law enforcement officers. MMPI-2-RF scores were collected from preemployment psychological evaluations of 136 male police officers, and supervisor ratings of performance and problem behavior were subsequently obtained during the initial probationary period. The sample produced meaningfully lower and less variant substantive scale scores than the general population and the MMPI-2-RF Police Candidate comparison group, which significantly affected effect sizes for the zero-order correlations. After applying a correction for range restriction, MMPI-2-RF substantive scales demonstrated moderate to strong associations with criteria, particularly in the Emotional Dysfunction and Interpersonal Functioning domains. Relative risk ratio analyses showed that cutoffs of 45T and 50T maintained reasonable selection ratios because of the exceptionally low scores in this sample and were associated with significantly increased risk for problematic behavior. These results provide support for the predictive validity of the MMPI-2-RF substantive scales in this setting. Implications of these findings and limitations of these results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) substantive scales in the prediction of premature termination and therapy no-shows while controlling for other relevant predictors in a university-based community mental health center, a sample at high risk of both premature termination and no-show appointments. Participants included 457 individuals seeking services from a university-based psychology clinic. Results indicated that Juvenile Conduct Problems (JCP) predicted premature termination and Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction and JCP predicted number of no-shows, when accounting for initial severity of illness, personality disorder diagnosis, therapist experience, and other related MMPI-2-RF scales. The MMPI-2-RF Aesthetic-Literary Interests scale also predicted number of no-shows. Recommendations for applying these findings in clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality full-length (SNAP) and short versions (SNAP-SRF and SNAP-ORF) were developed as measures of normal-range and more pathological personality traits. This study investigated the validity of the SNAP Brief Self-Description Rating Form (SNAP-BSRF), an alternative version of the SNAP Self-Description Rating Form (SNAP-SRF) revised for further brevity. The scales of the SNAP-BSRF showed good convergence with the SNAP-SRF and the SNAP Other-Description Rating Form (SNAP-ORF) scales. A three-factor structure consistent with extant literature was found for the SNAP-BSRF using an exploratory structural equation modeling approach. Scales from the SNAP-BSRF showed meaningful associations with self-reported internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that this new version is a reasonable substitute for the SNAP-SRF and will be useful when a very brief measure of adaptive and maladaptive personality is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the current article, we comment on a recent article by Stoeber, Kobori, and Brown that provided evidence suggesting that a multidimensional approach to perfectionistic cognitions is superior to a unidimensional approach in predicting maladjustment. They also showed with their data from a university student sample that our Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory has multiple factors in contrast to our unidimensional approach. Our commentary focuses primarily on the issue of whether the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory should be considered unidimensional versus multidimensional and outlines concerns about how perfectionism cognition factors should be used and interpreted. Although there are serious interpretive problems inherent in existing multidimensional measures of perfectionism cognitions, it is apparent that a cognitive approach is an important and viable supplement to the extensive focus on the trait multidimensional perfectionism that is currently in vogue. We conclude by discussing the potential clinical uses of cognitive assessments of perfectionism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Perfectionism cognitions capture automatic perfectionistic thoughts and have explained variance in psychological adjustment and maladjustment beyond trait perfectionism. The aim of the present research was to investigate whether a multidimensional assessment of perfectionism cognitions has advantages over a unidimensional assessment. To this aim, we examined in a sample of 324 university students how the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI) and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (MPCI) explained variance in positive affect, negative affect, and depressive symptoms when factor or subscale scores were used as predictors compared to total scores. Results showed that a multidimensional assessment (PCI factor scores, MPCI subscale scores) explained more variance than a unidimensional assessment (PCI and MPCI total scores) because, when the different dimensions were entered simultaneously as predictors, perfectionistic strivings cognitions and perfectionistic concerns cognitions acted as mutual suppressors thereby increasing each others’ predictive validity. With this, the present findings provide evidence that—regardless of whether the PCI or the MPCI is used—a multidimensional assessment of perfectionism cognitions has advantages over a unidimensional assessment in explaining variance in psychological adjustment and maladjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

When questionnaire data with an ordered polytomous response format are analyzed in the framework of item response theory using the partial credit model or the generalized partial credit model, reversed thresholds may occur. This led to the discussion of whether reversed thresholds violate model assumptions and indicate disordering of the response categories. Adams, Wu, and Wilson showed that reversed thresholds are merely a consequence of low frequencies in the categories concerned and that they do not affect the order of the rating scale. This article applies an empirical approach to elucidate the topic of reversed thresholds using data from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory as well as a simulation study. It is shown that categories differentiate between participants with different trait levels despite reversed thresholds and that category disordering can be analyzed independently of the ordering of the thresholds. Furthermore, we show that reversed thresholds often only occur in subgroups of participants. Thus, researchers should think more carefully about collapsing categories due to reversed thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While there are a number of short personality trait measures that have been validated for use with adults, few are specifically validated for use with adolescents. To trust such measures, it must be demonstrated that they have adequate construct validity. According to the view of construct validity as a unifying form of validity requiring the integration of different complementary sources of information, this article reports the evaluation of content, factor, convergent, and criterion validities as well as reliability of adolescents’ self-reported personality traits. Moreover, this study sought to address an inherent potential limitation of short personality trait measures, namely their limited conceptual breadth. In this study, starting with items from a known measure, after the language-level was adjusted for use with adolescents, items tapping fundamental primary traits were added to determine the impact of added conceptual breadth on the psychometric properties of the scales. The resulting new measure was named the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ). A group of expert judges considered the items to have adequate content validity. Using data from a community sample of early adolescents, the results confirmed the factor validity of the Big Five structure in adolescence as well as its measurement invariance across genders. More important, the added items did improve the convergent and criterion validities of the scales, but did not negatively affect their reliability. This study supports the construct validity of adolescents’ self-reported personality traits and points to the importance of conceptual breadth in short personality measures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]