Psychometric evaluation of the Levels of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form 2.0 among older adults

Personal Disord. 2021 Nov;12(6):526-533. doi: 10.1037/per0000413. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

Abstract

The Levels of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form 2.0 (LPFS-BF 2.0) is a new measure of personality functioning according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition's, alternative model of personality disorders, containing a total personality functioning score and two subscales (Self and Interpersonal). The LPFS-BF 2.0 has limited evidence of validity among older adults. Subsequently, this study examined relationships between the LPFS-BF 2.0 and anxiety, interpersonal functioning, and normative personality traits to establish convergent validity. In all, 130 community-dwelling older adults (Mage = 64.61) completed the LPFS-BF 2.0, Geriatric Anxiety Scale, Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems (CSIP), and Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2). Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) was acceptable to good for each of the LPFS-BF 2.0 scale scores (Self, α = .74; Interpersonal, α = .85; Total Personality Functioning, α = .79). Correlations were computed between the LPFS-BF 2.0 scales and the Geriatric Anxiety Scale, CSIP, and BFI-2. Overall, significant correlations were detected in expected directions. Additionally, to further establish convergent validity, regression analyses were conducted with the CSIP and BFI-2 scales predicting each of the LPFS-BF 2.0 scales. The models accounted for significant variance, and significant predictors were found in anticipated and theoretically consistent directions. Results provide strong but initial psychometric support for the use of the LPFS-BF 2.0 as an assessment tool for measuring personality functioning among older adults. An implication is that this measure may be used to identify important personality features that are part of a full assessment of personality pathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Personality Inventory
  • Personality*
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results