Examining the factor structure and sources of differential functioning of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised — Abbreviated

The aim of this study was to examine the basis of the differential functioning of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised — Abbreviated (EPQR-A) between males and females. Previous research with various forms of the EPQ [Francis, L.J. (1993). The dual nature of the Eysenckian neuroticism scales: a question of sex differences. Personality and Individual Differences, 15, 43–59; Forrest, S., Lewis, C.A., & Shevlin, M. (2000). Examining the factor structure and gender bias of the Eysenck personality questionnaire revised — abbreviated. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 579–588.] has identified consistent significant sex differences on the Neuroticism and Psychoticism sub-scales; the findings for Extraversion are equivocal. This study uses a structural equation modelling approach to determine the extent to which these sex differences in the EPQR-A can be explained by variables representing biological sex or socially learned gender roles. Using data from 224 Northern Irish undergraduate university students, a factor analytic model was specified and estimated using LISREL8 [Jöreskog, K., & Sörbom, D. (1999a). LISREL 8.30. Chicago: Scientific Software Inc.]. The model was specified and estimated where the three EPQR-A factors were regressed onto a sex variable and a variable measuring sex-role orientation. The results suggested a significant difference on Neuroticism and Psychoticism due to sex-roles, and differences on Extraversion due to sex-roles and biological sex.