Validation of the Finnish extra short five 30-item personality scale in a nationally representative sample
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21283261 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Oliver Karl Valter Lindahl (0009-0008-1402-1220, University of Helsinki, corresponding author), Henrik Dobewall (0000-0003-3515-2138, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Christian Hakulinen (0000-0001-8629-9960, University of Helsinki) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 268 |
| Pages | 107405 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Acta Psychologica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107405 |
| PMID | 42424916 |
| OpenAlex | W7167820625 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 46 |
This study investigated validity of the Finnish version of the Extra Short Five self-report questionnaire (XS5), a short, 30-item scale measuring personality according to the Five Factor Model (FFM). It utilized a nationally representative sample of 1007 Finnish adults. We evaluated structural validity, internal consistency reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity. We also examined the presence of response bias and measurement invariance. Using conventional cut-offs (CFI ≥ 0.90, RMSEA≤0.08, SRMR≤0.08), the scale demonstrated marginal fit (CFI = 0.84; RMSEA = 0.08; SRMR = 0.08) with moderate internal consistency across dimensions (McDonald's ω: N = 0.80, E = 0.72, C = 0.69, O = 0.65, A = 0.60; only Neuroticism exceeded the 0.70 threshold). Controlling for response bias with a hierarchical second-order bifactor model yielded substantially improved fit (ΔCFI = +0.06, ΔRMSEA -0.01; CFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.07, SRMR = 0.07), confirmed as superior to an orthogonal bifactor parameterisation (CFI = 0.64). Multi-group CFA provided partial evidence of invariance across sex, age, region, and education level, with items e5 (Activity) and o4 (Ideas) primarily driving gender scalar non-invariance and item e4 (Excitement-Seeking) region metric non-invariance. Convergent validity was found for Neuroticism-negative valence (r = 0.09, p < .01) and Extraversion-positive valence (r = 0.09, p < .01), though these correlations are small. Criterion-related validity was confirmed via associations with educational attainment and household income. The Finnish XS5 is a viable short measure of personality where time is constrained and domain-level scores are sufficient, with caution recommended for mean comparisons across gender and region
Convergent validity · Discriminant validity · Measurement invariance · Neuroticism · Personality · Psychometrics · Scale (ratio) · Structural equation modeling · Valence (chemistry) · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology · Personality Traits and Psychology · Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |