Evaluating the measurement invariance of the MMPI-3 Higher Order and Restructured Clinical Scales across samples of Black American and White American university students.

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Psychological Assessment Pub Date : 2026-01-22 DOI:10.1037/pas0001452

Prisca O Eze,Martin Sellbom,Joye C Anestis,Charles T Orjiakor,R Michael Bagby

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Establishing measurement invariance across racial groups is essential to ensure that psychological assessments function equivalently across diverse populations. This study examined the measurement invariance of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 Higher Order and Restructured Clinical scales across Black American and White American university students, with a focus on scalar invariance. Measurement invariance testing proceeds in sequential steps-configural, metric, and scalar-to determine whether cross-group comparisons are psychometrically valid. Establishing scalar invariance is necessary to assess whether observed mean score differences reflect latent construct differences rather than measurement bias. The sample included 766 students from two U.S. universities (331 Black American, 435 White American). We evaluated unidimensionality using confirmatory factor analyses and bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling, then applied multigroup confirmatory factor analyses to test measurement invariance. Results supported configural invariance for all scales and full or partial metric invariance for all scales, indicating structural comparability. However, full scalar invariance was rare; only Hypomanic Activation (RC9) achieved it. Partial scalar invariance was established for several scales-Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction (BXD), Low Positive Emotions (RC2), Antisocial Behavior (RC4), Ideas of Persecution (RC6), Dysfunctional Negative Emotions (RC7), and Aberrant Experiences (RC8)-with minimal latent mean changes between the full and partial models. Emotional/Internalizing Dysfunction (EID), Thought Dysfunction (THD), Restructured Clinical scales include Demoralization (RCd) and Somatic Complaints (RC1) did not demonstrate scalar invariance, limiting the validity of mean comparisons. Overall, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 Higher Order and Restructured Clinical scales showed mixed evidence of measurement invariance-consistent support for configural and (full or partial) metric invariance, but limited support for full scalar invariance. Hence, mean score comparisons should be interpreted cautiously, particularly for scales lacking scalar invariance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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评价美国黑人和白人大学生MMPI-3高阶量表和重组临床量表的测量不变性。

建立跨种族群体的测量不变性对于确保心理评估在不同人群中发挥同等作用至关重要。本研究考察了明尼苏达多相人格量表-3高阶和重构临床量表在美国黑人和白人大学生中的测量不变性，重点关注标量不变性。测量不变性检验在连续的步骤中进行-结构，度量和标量-以确定跨组比较是否在心理测量学上有效。建立标量不变性是评估观察到的平均分差异是否反映潜在构念差异而不是测量偏差的必要条件。样本包括来自两所美国大学的766名学生（331名美国黑人，435名美国白人）。我们利用验证性因子分析和双因素探索性结构方程模型来评估单维性，然后利用多组验证性因子分析来检验测量的不变性。结果支持所有尺度的结构不变性和所有尺度的全部或部分度量不变性，表明结构可比性。然而，完全标量不变性是罕见的；只有轻度躁狂激活（RC9）达到了这个效果。几个量表-行为/外化功能障碍（BXD），低积极情绪（RC2），反社会行为（RC4），迫害想法（RC6），功能失调的负面情绪（RC7）和异常经历(RC8)-建立了部分标量不变性，完全模型和部分模型之间的潜在平均变化最小。情绪/内化功能障碍（EID），思想功能障碍（THD），重组临床量表包括士气低落（RCd）和躯体抱怨（RC1）没有显示标量不变性，限制了平均值比较的有效性。总体而言，明尼苏达多相人格量表-3高阶和重组临床量表显示了测量不变性的混合证据-一致支持结构和（全部或部分）度量不变性，但有限支持全部标量不变性。因此，应该谨慎地解释平均分比较，特别是对于缺乏标量不变性的量表。（PsycInfo数据库记录(c) 2026 APA，版权所有）。

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来源期刊

Psychological Assessment PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

5.60%

发文量

167

期刊介绍： Psychological Assessment is concerned mainly with empirical research on measurement and evaluation relevant to the broad field of clinical psychology. Submissions are welcome in the areas of assessment processes and methods. Included are - clinical judgment and the application of decision-making models - paradigms derived from basic psychological research in cognition, personality–social psychology, and biological psychology - development, validation, and application of assessment instruments, observational methods, and interviews