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Unfavorable evidence for personality assessment with a 10-item instrument

This study analyzes the internal structure, precision and differences of averages by gender and age on a 10-item scale, designed to assess the Big Five Personality traits. A total of 404 high school students, with an average age of 15.9 years, from São Paulo, Brazil participated in the study. The Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) scale is comprised of pairs of adjectives representing personality traits arranged on a Likert scale varying from 1 to 7, measuring levels of agreement. It was not possible to identify the five-factor solution through analysis of the main components, but a three-factor structure was found that encompassed the content of social desirability, adjustment problems, and emotional stability, with the alpha varying from 0.41 to 0.63. Additionally, statistically significant differences associated with age were found. Results are discussed in terms of the study and scale limitations.

Personality Measures; Psychological Assessment; Adolescents; Personality Traits


Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia Av.Bandeirantes 3900 - Monte Alegre, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo - Brasil, Tel.: (55 16) 3315-3829 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: paideia@usp.br