Researchers on antagonistic personality traits debate about an appropriate measurement approach to Machiavellianism. One measure intended to resolve this discourse, the Machiavellian Approach and Avoidance Questionnaire (MAAQ), distinguishes motivational aspects of Machiavellianism (https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001069). Machiavellian Approach reflects strategic striving for advantages (even at others' expense), and Machiavellian Avoidance encompasses misanthropically driven prevention of loss. Using two German samples ( = 1,583; 63% women), evidence from our first study confirmed assumed relations between both facets and disagreeableness, as well as Machiavellian approach with dominance seeking, and Machiavellian avoidance with mistrust. However, the nomological networks of Machiavellian approach and measures of subclinical psychopathy were almost identical in both samples. Thus, the MAAQ failed to sufficiently differentiate from subclinical psychopathy. In a second study, partial scalar cross-national invariance was established across samples from Germany, Canada, United Kingdom, and Serbia ( = 1,853). Thereby, participants from Germany scored lower in Machiavellian approach compared to other samples, lower in Machiavellian avoidance compared to samples from the United Kingdom and Canada, but higher compared to the Serbian sample. Overall, findings supported cross-national equivalence of the MAAQ but undermined construct validity.

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is the second most commonly used performance-based task. However, traditional TAT administration is time-consuming and raises accessibility issues. Research exploring administration modifications has found that within a lab setting, having participants type their own narratives leads to richer responses than when participants narrate the stories out loud to an examiner. The current study extends prior research by investigating the impact of card presentation (hard copy versus computer screen) and setting (in the lab versus online) on narrative quality. A four-card TAT protocol was administered to 134 college students in three separate conditions: in lab with hard copies of cards, in lab with images on the computer, and online in which participants could take the TAT wherever they wished. In all conditions, participants typed their narratives. The narratives were scored using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale- Global Rating Method (SCORS-G). MANOVA procedures showed that SCORS-G ratings were not affected by card presentation or setting and add to prior work to suggest that the TAT can be administered online without a diminution in the quality of SCORS-G ratings at least with some populations.

The Triarchic Model of Grit Scale (TMGS) was developed as an innovative measurement designed to evaluate general grit levels, encompassing perseverance of effort, consistency of interests, and adaptability to situations within a collectivism culture. The present study was undertaken with the aim of examining the factor structure, measurement invariance, empirical validity, and incremental validity of the TMGS among in a sample of Chinese adolescents ( = 997, 43.4% males, = 16.64, = 1.05). The results revealed that the original three-factor model of TMGS exhibited the best fit to the data, and supported partial scalar invariance across gender. Additionally, the internal consistency values of the TMGS scores ranged from marginal to acceptable, and the stability coefficients across time were acceptable. Moreover, the TMGS scores showed satisfactory criterion-related validity, correlating with scores of external criteria variables (e.g., Grit-S, self-control, and big five personality). Finally, the TMGS scores demonstrated superior incremental validity in predicting academic burnout compared to conscientiousness. Overall, although further studies are needed, our findings suggested that the TMGS demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties within a collectivist culture and may serve as a promising tool for assessing grit levels in Chinese adolescents.

Richardson, Beath, and Boag (this issue) developed a questionnaire designed to measure attachment-related defense mechanisms with considerable promise for research, practice, and training. Their robust design and the sophisticated psychometric techniques used to generate and validate the measure are notable. The goal of this commentary is to situate the measure in contemporary research on defenses, draw a distinction between defenses linked specifically to attachment and defenses more generally, and to stimulate a constructive dialogue with the (DMRS; Di Giuseppe & Perry, 2021; Perry, 1990, 2014), a model and set of measures that has dominated defense mechanism research for half a century.

Spiteful behavior, where one is willing to harm oneself to harm another, is a common social behavior that is associated with social competition. However, there is currently only one well-used psychological measure that claims to measure spitefulness, the Spitefulness Scale (Marcus et al., 2014). At present, there is little research investigating whether spite, as measured by this scale, is associated with spiteful decision-making. To test this relationship, we asked a UK sample ( = 113; 51% female, M = 38) to play a Joy of Destruction game before completing the Spitefulness Scale. Participant scores on the scale predicted whether participants spent any non-zero amount on destroying the resources of others and the amount spent by those who chose destruction. The results add further support to the validity of the Spitefulness Scale as a predictor of spiteful behavior, and suggests its utility can expand to data collected online crowd-sourcing.

In narrative identity research, variables are typically captured through detailed content-coding of personal narratives. Yet, alternative methods have been suggested, notably self-report scales, because they capture a participant's own interpretation of their personal narratives, and because they are efficient to administer as a supplement to more labor-intensive coding methods. This study developed and validated the Narrative Identity Self-Evaluation (NISE) questionnaire. In Study 1, the questionnaire was developed through exploratory factor analysis ( = 425) and its criterion validity examined. In Study 2, the NISE factor structure and criterion relationships were confirmed ( = 304). In Study 3 (based on the same sample as Study 1), content-coding of 11 narrative identity characteristics in open-ended personal story accounts was conducted, and NISE scores were compared to corresponding content-coded variables. The 20-item NISE has three factors replicating common dimensions in narrative identity (autobiographical reasoning, desire for structure, positive motivational/affective themes) and a novel fourth factor capturing disturbances of narrative identity. The NISE correlated in theoretically-coherent ways with content coded narrative identity variables, self-report traits, and measures relevant for narrative identity, self-concept, well-being, and psychopathology. We discuss the scale's advantages in complementing content-coding of narrative accounts to assess variation in narrative identity within both clinical and non-clinical populations.

Given the critical role of socio-emotional skills in students' academic success, psychological well-being, and other critical life outcomes, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) developed the Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) to measure these skills among school-age students. However, the broad conceptual scope of socio-emotional skills necessitated the use of a large number of items (i.e., 120 items) in the original SSES, which poses challenges regarding survey administration and participant fatigue. To address these issues, this study aimed to develop a short form of the SSES (i.e., SSES-SF). The sample included 29,798 15-year-old students across 10 regions. We developed a 45-item version of SSES-SF using the machine learning approach of genetic algorithm, which is 62.5% shorter than the original 120-item SSES. The reliability, construct validity, reproduced information, concurrent validity, and measurement invariance of the SSES-SF were investigated. We found that the SSES-SF demonstrated satisfactory reliability, construct validity, and concurrent validity. Furthermore, the SSES-SF was able to reproduce a substantial amount of information from the original full-form SSES and exhibited measurement invariance across genders, regions, and language groups. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Clinical assessment increasingly emphasizes six maladaptive domains of the DSM-5 and ICD-11 trait models, including negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism/dissociality, disinhibition, psychoticism, and anankastia. The present study aimed to validate the Persian version of the ICD-11 compatible Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Brief Form Plus, Modified (PID5BF + M). Data from a mixed sample including 1,615 adults (community  = 1,476 and outpatient  = 139) were used to assess the latent structure, congruence coefficients, reliability, convergent validity, and criterion validity of the PID5BF + M. The results supported the six-factor structure of the PID5BF + M whose traits are largely congruent with those from previous studies. The scale reliabilities were acceptable, and strong associations were observed with personality disorder-type symptom counts ( ranging from .15 to .59, all < .001). PID5BF + M scales also distinguished clinical and non-clinical samples. The present results support the validity and utility of the PID5BF + M for personality psychopathology screening in the Iranian population.

Coefficient alpha estimates the degree to which scale scores reflect systematic variation due to one or more common dimensions. Coefficient beta, on the other hand, estimates the degree to which scale scores reflect a single dimension common among all the items; that is, the target construct a scale attempts to measure. As such, the magnitude of beta, relative to alpha, informs on the ability to meaningfully interpret derived scale scores as reflecting a single construct. Despite its clear interpretative usefulness, coefficient beta is rarely reported and, perhaps, not well understood. As such, we first describe how coefficient alpha and beta are analogues to model-based reliability coefficients omega total and omega hierarchical. We then demonstrate with simulated data how these indices function under a variety of data structures. Finally, we perform a hierarchical cluster analysis of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire's Stress Reaction Scale, estimating alpha and beta, as clusters form. This demonstrates a chief advantage of alpha and beta; they do not require a formal structural model. Moreover, we illustrate how scales that primarily are based on sets of homogeneous item clusters can "ramp up" to yield reliable scores with conceptual breadth and predominantly reflect the intended target construct.

Language is a fundamental aspect of human culture that influences cognitive and perceptual processes. Prior evidence demonstrates personality self-report can vary across multilingual persons' language contexts. We assessed how cultural identification, language dominance, or both dynamically influence bilingual respondents' self-conception, via self-reported personality, across English and Spanish contexts. During separate English and Spanish conditions, 133 Hispanic/Latino bilingual participants (70 female) completed the Big Five Inventory of personality. We used language use and acculturation surveys completed in both languages to calculate participants' relative language dominance and identification with U.S.-American and Hispanic culture. Participants reported higher levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism in English relative to Spanish. Language dominance predicted cross-language differences in personality report, with higher extraversion reported in participants' dominant language. Within each language, greater endorsement of U.S.-American identity was associated with higher extraversion and conscientiousness and lower reported neuroticism. Agreeableness report in both languages was positively predicted by Hispanic identification. Our results clarify existing literature related to language and cultural effects on personality report among U.S. Hispanics/Latinos. These findings could inform assessments of self-relevant cognitions across languages among bilingual populations and hold relevance for health outcomes affected by cultural processes.

Forced-choice (FC) questionnaires have gained scientific interest over the last decades. However, the inclusion of unequally keyed item pairs in FC questionnaires remains a subject of debate, as there is evidence supporting both their usage and avoidance. Designing unequally keyed pairs may be more difficult when considering social desirability, as they might allow the identification of ideal responses. Nevertheless, they may enhance the reliability and the potential for normative interpretation of scores. To empirically investigate this topic, data were collected from 1,125 undergraduate Psychology students who completed a personality item pool measuring the Big Five personality traits in Likert-type format and two FC questionnaires (with and without unequally keyed pairs). These questionnaires were compared in terms of reliability, convergent and criterion validity, and ipsativity of the scores, along with insights on the construction process. While constructing questionnaires with unequally keyed blocks presented challenges in matching items on their social desirability, the differences observed in terms of reliability, validity, or ipsativity were sporadic and lacked systematic patterns. This suggests that neither questionnaire format exhibited a clear superiority. Given these results, it is recommended using only equally keyed blocks to minimize potential validity issues associated with response biases.

Therapeutic Assessment (TA) is a relatively new, short-term intervention that uses psychological tests to address clients' persistent problems in living. The core feature of TA is that assessors and clients work collaboratively in all the phases of the process, and psychological tests are used as "empathy magnifiers" to help assessors understand clients' "dilemmas of change" and promote positive change. An "ultra-brief" TA protocol involving an Initial Session, Test Administration and Extended Inquiry, and Summary/Discussion Session was undertaken with three adult clients in China. A case-based time-series design with daily measures was used to assess the outcome of TA. Recruited in a natural setting, all 3 clients benefited from participation in the TA. These results suggest that Ultra-brief TA may be a promising treatment for Chinese adult clients with a variety of psychological concerns.

The Big Five Inventory - 2 (BFI-2) is a commonly used self-report assessment of normal personality trait domains (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality, Open-Mindedness) and facets. To date, however, no direct measures of response distortion have been developed for it to identify potentially invalid responses. Such distortions (e.g., careless or random responding) can adversely impact data quality. The current study developed and provided initial validation data for an inconsistent responding scale within the BFI-2 to identify careless responders using two large undergraduate samples and a community sample. To create the scale, we first identified highly correlated BFI-2 item pairs in one undergraduate sample ( = 1,461) and then computed a total score by summing the absolute differences of these item pairs. This scale, the Detection of Response Inconsistency Procedure (DRIP), differentiated randomly generated and genuine data and generally correlated as expected with personality domains and other inconsistent responding scales across samples. The DRIP also incrementally predicted random data beyond a composite of items with exceptionally high or low base rates of endorsement from the Comprehensive Infrequency/Frequency Item Repository. We provide recommendations for DRIP cut scores that can detect careless responding while balancing sensitivity and specificity.

In response to Cannon's widely accepted fight-or-flight system, Taylor et al. proposed the tend-and-befriend hypothesis to better capture variance in women's stress response behaviors. The Tend-and-Befriend Questionnaire (TBQ) measures self-reported individual differences in the use of fight, flight, tend, and befriend. Several studies have used this scale to evaluate sex differences in these behaviors, yet it has not yet been rigorously evaluated. Using three samples ( = 1094), we first explore the factor structure of the TBQ to produce and validate a revised measure, the TBQ-Short Form (TBQ-SF). Next, we evaluate the claim that women use tend-and-befriend more than men. Results indicated that the TBQ-SF provided both reliable subscales and largely acceptable model fit, yet the factor structure and validity varied across the three samples. While men do report more fighting than women, men and women report use tending and befriending more than fighting or fleeing. Finally, other variables-namely attachment-capture more variance in TBQ-SF factors than sex. While the TBQ-SF does capture differences in stress reactions (fight, flight, tend/befriend), we suggest that the scale is most reliable in measuring overall stress reactivity. Therefore, future research should aim to construct a better scale specific to tend-and-befriend using alternative methodologies.

Although employee selection is typically oriented toward the assessment of knowledge, skills, and abilities to identify employees who will complement such an environment, it is perhaps equally important to distinguish employees with the potential to disrupt it. Workers high in narcissistic grandiosity tend to abuse their power and control for personal gain, engage in abusive behaviors toward others, and disobey organizational policies. Across four studies, we sought to develop the Narcissism Interview Scale for Employment (NISE) to assess narcissistic grandiosity. Study 1 created interview questions that elicited responses with narcissistic grandiosity content, structured as both behavioral/situational and work-specific. Study 2 identified the best performing items and developed rating materials. Study 3 demonstrated the NISE is associated with traditional survey assessments of narcissistic grandiosity and predicted interpersonal aggression. Study 4 demonstrated that applicants are likely to perceive the NISE at least as favorably as other popular interview questions. Overall, the results showed that the NISE may be incorporated into the interview process to assess applicant narcissistic grandiosity tendencies, but additional research is needed to further establish the construct validity of the instrument, clarify applicant reactions to its use, and assess its predictive utility across a variety of work contexts.

Historically, forensic evaluators have relied heavily upon various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders when rendering psycholegal opinions. The field of mental health is increasing moving toward dimensional models of personality and psychopathology in lieu of traditional DSM categorical models, though the domains of forensic psychology and psychiatry have been slow to make this transition. The current study therefore sought to examine forensic evaluators' familiarity with dimensional approaches to personality and psychopathology, namely the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) and the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists ( = 54) completed an online survey designed to assess their familiarity with these models, as well as to determine if forensics practitioners are using these models in clinical practice. Participants endorsed greater familiarity with the AMPD, with a large majority of participants indicating they were unfamiliar with the HiTOP model. Few participants endorsed using these models in their clinical forensic practice. Implications for making the transition to dimensional models within forensic evaluation are discussed, as are paths forward for future research.

Empathy is predominantly assessed with self-report questionnaires. However, their structural validities were not well-supported. This study aimed to re-explore and refine the factor structure of the Chinese version of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and investigate the pathways linked between dimensions of empathy and schizotypy. Data from a valid sample of 1,360 community-dwelling adults (aged 18-35) were subjected to the exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and bootstrap EGA for factor retention. A goodness-of-fit evaluation was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Lastly, a Gaussian graphical model with sum scores of the resultant empathy dimensions, positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy, and paranoia as nodes was estimated. Results supported a three-factor structure for the revised 20-item QCAE, demonstrating a good model fit. The new Online simulation subscale was associated with reduced disorganized schizotypy, whereas the new Perspective-taking subscale was associated with decreased disorganized schizotypy and increased positive schizotypy. The composite Affective empathy subscale was associated with decreased negative schizotypy and increased positive and disorganized schizotypy and paranoia. Overall, the revised QCAE demonstrated good structural validity, measuring three separable and internally cohesive factors of empathy. Each factor possessed unique and differential relationships with schizotypy dimensions that merit research and clinical attention.

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct linked to a broad spectrum of psychopathological and neuropsychological disorders. The UPPS-P model has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing impulsivity from a multi-dimensional perspective. Despite its relevance, few studies have examined the psychometric properties of the UPPS-P scale scores in a large, representative sample of adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish UPPS-P in adolescents and to establish normative data for this population in Spain. To this end, 9024 students aged 11-19 from 66 different Spanish high schools were included. The fit for the expected 5-factor model, assessed through confirmatory factor analysis, was inadequate (CFI and TLI ≤ .85, RMSEA = .063), but becomes satisfactory when employing the more flexible ESEM approach (CFI and TLI ≥ .94, RMSEA = .038), which was invariant across gender and age. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory (ω = .83 to .94). Convergent validity with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11-A total score was good ( = .53 to .60). We provide population norms of the UPPS-P, which may help practitioners to interpret the UPPS-P scores of adolescents from the general population in Spain. Subsequent research should explore implications for both clinical and non-clinical settings.

Adult playfulness describes the personality of the quick initiation and strong intensity of enjoyable experiences coupled with the frequency of engaging in playful behaviors. In addition to examining the reliability and validity of the Short Measure for Adult Playfulness (SMAP), we compared the psychometric properties of the SMAP across (a) 4- and 7-point answer formats; (b) German and English language versions; and (c) gender. The SMAP and criterion validity measures were distributed across three independent samples from Canada ( = 1,177) and a German sample ( = 660). Results supported a unidimensional solution with strong factor loadings for all items (>.50 across all samples) and high test-retest reliability ( = .67, BF>100). In item response theory analyses, high discrimination parameters were found across the latent continuum. Although both the four-point and seven-point Likert scale versions showed robust item properties, the seven-point Likert scale version yielded more precise measurement of higher playfulness (θ > 1.50). No significant differential item functioning was located across gender or language. Finally, results supported external construct validity associations with broad personality traits, humor, and orientations to happiness. The present investigation provides support for the reliability and validity of the English SMAP for concise adult playfulness measurement.

are feelings distinctively associated with real or imagined interpersonal situations. We propose that interpersonal emotions can be organized within the same circumplex used by contemporary integrative interpersonal theory to organize other aspects of interpersonal functioning. Our research explores the affective dimensions underpinning the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) and maps distinct emotional dispositions using coordinates for agentic and communal affect. Our aim is to provide a better differentiated and more comprehensive taxonomy of interpersonal emotions consistent with the IPC framework. In an initial development study ( = 1223 undergraduates) we used circumplex and psychometric criteria to create a 64-item Interpersonal Emotion Inventory (IEI), a novel self-report measure of interpersonal emotions reflecting each IPC octant. We then tested the structural properties and utility of the IEI in a preregistered validation study ( = 278 community participants). Across both studies, the IEI scales exhibited good fit to a two-dimensional circular model. The IEI demonstrated robust convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity in relation to measures of interpersonal values and problems, positive and negative affect, adult attachment, self-conscious emotions, self-esteem, and facets of narcissism. By complementing existing measures of affect and interpersonal phenomena, the IEI should prove useful in both research and clinical contexts.

Based on Aron's (2020) DOES model, we developed the DOES Scale to measure Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) with four dimensions: Depth of Processing, Overstimulation, Emotional Reactivity, and Sensing the Subtle. Using interview data from the study by Roth et al. (2023), we created a 20-item questionnaire (5 items per dimension) in German and English. In three studies with 1,365 subjects from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the UK, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the scale using confirmatory factor analysis and examined construct validity with the established Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) and different personality measures. The results confirmed each subscale's unidimensionality and good psychometric properties. Considering the four subscales together indicated that they could be best described as correlated factors rather than in terms of a second-order factor. Convergent validity was confirmed, especially for Overstimulation in its association with the HSPS total score and its subscales EOE and LST. Regarding discriminant validity, the Sensing the Subtle dimension exhibited clear distinctiveness, while the other three subscales overlapped with neuroticism, extraversion, empathy, and rumination, aligning with theoretical expectations. The DOES Scale emerges as a reliable, valid tool for assessing SPS, recommending its four dimensions be interpreted as a trait constellation.

Our research seeks to contribute to the existing literature on emotion measurement and research by proposing a new anger metric that addresses limitations of previous scales. This metric shows promise in meeting modern standards and drawing from traditional methods, potentially impacting the study of emotions. Additionally, our study explores cross-cultural congruence in assessing anger between English and German speakers, revealing differences in state and trait anger assessment. We offer theoretical perspectives on these cultural variances and emphasize the importance of considering language nuances in cross-cultural emotion assessment. Furthermore, our research delves into the relationship between anger and other emotions within an affective space, suggesting support for the notion that emotions are composite constructs consisting of valence and activation. We also discuss alternative theoretical perspectives on emotion construction to enhance our understanding. Additionally, our study examines the intricate relationship between anger and different forms of aggression, highlighting the association between anger and various aggressive behaviors in work settings. Our findings underscore the influence of personal traits and situational factors on experiences of anger and aggression, offering insights into the relationships between emotional states, traits, and behavior.

Although many studies have attempted to validate grit scales because of the construct's popularity, most have considered the shorter rather than the longer Original Grit Scale (Grit-O). We examined the Grit-O's construct validity, longitudinal measurement invariance, incremental validity for academic performance, and longitudinal predictive validity for subjective well-being among young Chinese. We used a cross-sectional sample of 3,322 college students and a longitudinal sample of 1,884 college students, tested twice over 10 months. The first-order factor model fit the data better than other models and showed partial configural and metric measurement invariance over time. Grit and its two facets longitudinally predicted subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, happiness, positive affect, negative affect, and depression) but had negligible incremental validity for two semesters' grades after controlling for conscientiousness. So, while the Grit-O could be a useful construct for young adults, its predictive value overlaps with a better-established construct, conscientiousness.

The Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP) is a concept map developed to consolidate research on psychopathy. Recently, the CAPP - Self Report form (CAPP-SR) was developed, but its psychometric properties have not been extensively or independently investigated. The current study evaluated the internal consistency, factorial structure, and construct validity of the CAPP-SR in a large sample of undergraduate and community participants. No organizational structure was superior, but a theoretically supported three factor solution representing behavioral, affective, and interpersonal traits appeared to be the optimal solution. The CAPP-SR demonstrated overlap with other preexisting psychopathy measures and the three-factor solution evinced relatively good convergent and discriminant associations with external criteria. The CAPP-SR seems to measure a similar construct to psychopathy measures, though it remains unclear whether the new measure captures meaningful information neglected by other models or outperforms them in prediction of important outcomes.

The present research evaluated evidence for structural and convergent validity and measurement invariance across gender of the Aspects of Identity Questionnaire-IV (AIQ-IV), which is designed to measure four identity orientations: Personal, Relational, Public, and Collective. We recruited two independent samples of Serbian adolescents aged 15-19 years ( = 436, = 452). Both exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were applied to examine the factor structure of the AIQ-IV. The ESEM model with four factors demonstrated a superior fit to the data in both samples and resulted in well-defined factors and deflated latent factor correlations compared to the CFA model. Multiple-group analysis supported the scalar invariance of the four-factor ESEM model across gender. The evidence for the convergent validity of the ESEM AIQ-IV factors was supported by meaningful correlations with various mental health indicators (life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, internalizing behaviors, and externalizing behaviors) and basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) satisfaction and frustration. Our findings support the use of AIQ-IV as a multidimensional measure of identity orientations among adolescents and confirm the usefulness of applying the ESEM framework to evaluate the validity aspects of this scale.

The Alternative Model for Personality Disorders provides a dimensional framework for the conceptualization of personality disorders where Criterion A concerns the assessment of one's level of personality functioning (LPF). This study examines the psychometric properties of the English translation of the Semi-Structured Interview for Personality Functioning (STiP-5.1) to validate this translation for the assessment of LPF in English-speaking populations; and examine whether this measure increments self-report measures of LPF and personality pathology in predicting general functioning. The sample consisted of 129 emerging adults between 18 and 25 years of age ( = 20.54, SD = 2.08) from a mixed college and clinical sample. Results support a unidimensional factor structure of the STiP-5.1, good internal consistency, and high inter-rater reliability. Construct validity was supported through associations of the STiP-5.1 with self-report measures of LPF and personality pathology. The STiP-5.1 incremented self-report measures of personality pathology in predicting functional impairment, though additional variance explained was modest. Finally, STiP-5.1 scores differentiated individuals who obtained a score at or above the clinical cutoff from those below on self-report measures of personality pathology and LPF with large effect sizes. Findings support the validity of the English translation of the STiP-5.1 for the assessment of LPF.

Self-dehumanization, a phenomenon relevant to social psychology, has been somewhat absent from clinical psychology research. Furthermore, measures of self-dehumanization are few, and to our knowledge, no validated and generalizable self-report measure exists. To address this gap, we present a Self-Dehumanization Scale (SDS). This work incorporates evidence from three studies examining the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the SDS in an undergraduate sample, a clinically relevant community sample, and a sample with at least one minoritized identity. The SDS was derived from dehumanization theory and was developed to measure animalistic and mechanistic self-dehumanization. All studies suggested an 8-item SDS, with Study 1 suggesting a single-factor solution with, however, some indication of a two-factor structure, and Studies 2 and 3 affirming a two-factor solution. The SDS, and its respective factors, generally showed discriminant validity from related, yet distinct, measures of self-hate, self-esteem (Study 2), dissociation, and measures of discrimination (in Study 3). Finally, animalistic and mechanistic SDS showed somewhat mixed but promising evidence regarding their associations to minoritized identities and to symptoms of depression, and suicide risk, above and beyond each study's fairly stringent control variables. Thus, self-dehumanization may prove to be a clinically promising leverage point in assessing psychopathology, particularly among minoritized communities.

Macina et al. (2023) recently reported mixed results on the German translation of the Self and Interpersonal Functioning Scale (SIFS). By focusing on suboptimal indices of structural validity, they recommended choosing other available instruments over the SIFS in future research on personality impairment. Reflecting on Macina et al.'s overall conclusions inspired us to consider broader issues in the field of personality impairment assessment. In this commentary, we discuss some issues regarding test translation and validity raised by Macina et al.'s article. We advise against assuming equivalence between original and translated versions of a test and discuss some caveats regarding comparison between different instruments based on structural validity. We also call into question whether the latter should be the litmus test for judging the quality of a measure. Finally, we discuss how the proliferation of personality impairment measures can benefit the broader field. Notably, this would allow moving toward a "what works for whom" approach that considers the match between psychometric property, desired use of the instrument, and characteristics of the target population.