title: Validity of personality measurement in adults with anxiety disorders: psychometric properties of the Spanish NEO-FFI-R using Rasch analyses.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish NEO Five Factor Inventory-Revised (NEO-FFI-R) using Rasch analyses, in order to test its rating scale functioning, the reliability of scores, internal structure, and differential item functioning (DIF) by gender in a psychiatric sample. The NEO-FFI-R responses of 433 Spanish adults (154 males) with an anxiety disorder as primary diagnosis were analysed using the Rasch model for rating scales. Two intermediate categories of response ('neutral' and 'agree') malfunctioned in the Neuroticism and Conscientiousness scales. In addition, model reliabilities were lower than expected in Agreeableness and Neuroticism, and the item fit values indicated each scale had items that did not achieve moderate to high discrimination on its dimension, particularly in the Agreeableness scale. Concerning unidimensionality, the five NEO-FFI-R scales showed large first components of unexplained variance. Finally, DIF by gender was detected in many items. The results suggest that the scores of the Spanish NEO-FFI-R are unreliable in psychiatric samples and cannot be generalized between males and females, especially in the Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness scales. Future directions for testing and refinement should be developed before the NEO-FFI-R can be used reliably in clinical samples.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Services, University Hospital of Badajoz Badajoz, Spain ; Universidad de Salamanca Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inchausti
authors.affiliation: Oxford University Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mole
authors.affiliation: Universidad de La Rioja La Rioja, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Pedrero
authors.affiliation: Universidad de La Rioja La Rioja, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortuño-Sierra
keywords: NEO Five Factor Inventory; Rasch model; five factor model; item response theory; personality measurement