title: The measurement invariance of schizotypy in Europe.
abstract: The short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (sO-LIFE) is a widely used measure assessing schizotypy. There is limited information, however, on how sO-LIFE scores compare across different countries. The main goal of the present study is to test the measurement invariance of the sO-LIFE scores in a large sample of non-clinical adolescents and young adults from four European countries (UK, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain). The scores were obtained from validated versions of the sO-LIFE in their respective languages. The sample comprised 4190 participants (M=20.87 years; SD=3.71 years). The study of the internal structure, using confirmatory factor analysis, revealed that both three (i.e., positive schizotypy, cognitive disorganisation, and introvertive anhedonia) and four-factor (i.e., positive schizotypy, cognitive disorganisation, introvertive anhedonia, and impulsive nonconformity) models fitted the data moderately well. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor model had partial strong measurement invariance across countries. Eight items were non-invariant across samples. Significant statistical differences in the mean scores of the s-OLIFE were found by country. Reliability scores, estimated with Ordinal alpha ranged from 0.75 to 0.87. Using the Item Response Theory framework, the sO-LIFE provides more accuracy information at the medium and high end of the latent trait. The current results show further evidence in support of the psychometric proprieties of the sO-LIFE, provide new information about the cross-cultural equivalence of schizotypy and support the use of this measure to screen for psychotic-like features and liability to psychosis in general population samples from different European countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, Spain; Prevention Program for Psychosis (P3), Spain. Electronic address: eduardo.fonseca.pedrero@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Pedrero
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Sciences, University of La Rioja, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortuño-Sierra
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sierro
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.affiliation: Center of Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital, University of Cagliari, Italy, and Centro Medico Genneruxi, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010641:Phenotype; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cross-cultural; Equivalence; Invariance; Schizotypal; Schizotypy; sO-LIFE