Assessment of Personality Functioning Across Immigrant Groups- Measurement Invariance and Its Association with Mental Distress in a German Population-Based Sample.

Abstract

Despite the growing body of research on self-report measures of personality functioning, tests of measurement invariance in immigrant samples have mostly been neglected. The present study aimed to fill this gap by testing measurement invariance of the OPD-Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS) across immigrant groups and evaluating the association between personality functioning and mental distress. Methods: Based on representative population samples in Germany comprising N = 6,999 participants, the factor structure and the measurement invariance of the OPD-SQS across different immigrant groups (1st generation immigrants, 2nd generation immigrants, non-immigrants) were examined. Associations of personality functioning and mental distress depending on immigration and generation status were investigated using multiple linear regression. Confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable to good model fit of the proposed three-factor structure for all investigated groups. Furthermore, the OPD-SQS was strictly measurement invariant across different immigration groups. The regression model showed a strong, positive association between impairment in personality functioning and mental distress in all groups. The OPD-SQS can be assumed to be strictly invariant. Hence, the OPD-SQS provides a valid and economic screening tool for personality functioning across immigrant groups that can be applied in research on immigrants' mental health.