Factor analysis of the NEO-PI inventory and the Comrey Personality Scales in an Italian sample

Abstract

The Costa and McCrae NEO-PI Inventory and the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS) were administered to a diverse sample of 268 Italians. The 40 subscales that define the eight CPS factors, 18 facet scales defining Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness of the NEO-PI plus the NEO-PI single scales of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness were intercorrelated together with a dichotomous Sex variable to produce a 61 × 61 correlation matrix. This matrix was factor analyzed. The best orthogonal solution yielded eight viable factors: Neuroticism, defined by both NEO-PI Neuroticism and CPS Emotional Stability subscales; Extraversion, defined by both NEO-PI Extraversion and CPS Extraversion subscales; Openness, defined only by NEO-PI Openness subscales: Empathy, defined by CPS Empathy subscales and the NEO-PI Agreeableness scale; Orderliness, defined by CPS Orderliness subscales and the NEO-PI Conscientiousness scale; Activity, defined by CPS Activity subscales and the NEO-PI Conscientiousness scale; Trust, defined by CPS Trust subscales and the NEO-PI Agreeableness scale; and CPS Masculinity, identified by CPS Masculinity subscales and sex. Although not perfectly identified, all the NEO-PI factors emerged in one form or another, and seven of the eight CPS factors emerged. Social Conformity vs Rebelliousness (C) was the only CPS factor that failed to be clearly identified in this analysis.