Multiple Group IRT Measurement Invariance Analysis of the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale in Thirteen International Samples

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the measurement invariance of the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) in terms of Item Response Theory differential test functioning in thirteen distinct samples (N = 7714) from twelve different countries. We assessed differential test functioning for the three FSCRS subscales, Inadequate-Self, Hated-Self and Reassured-Self separately. 32 of the 78 pairwise comparisons between samples for Inadequate-Self, 42 of the 78 pairwise comparisons for Reassured-Self and 54 of the 78 pairwise comparisons for Hated-Self demonstrated no differential test functioning, i.e. measurement invariance. Hated-Self was the most invariant of the three subscales, suggesting that self-hatred is similarly perceived across different cultures. Nonetheless, all three subscales of FSCRS are sensitive to cross-cultural differences. Considering the possible cultural and linguistic differences in the expression of self-criticism and selfreassurance, future analyses of the meanings and connotations of these constructs across the world are necessary in order to develop or tailor a scale which allows cross-cultural comparisons of various treatment outcomes related to self-criticism.

A Multilevel Multidimensional Finite Mixture Item Response Model to Cluster Respondents and Countries

“…Consequently, the most self-critical people (class 6 and 7 combined is 18.9%) are less common in the general population than the least self-critical people (class 1 and 2 combined is 33.7%). Similar to the findings of Halamová et al (2019), participants from Japan are the most self-critical, followed by Taiwan, while the least self-critical participants are from Israel and Portugal. In addition to their findings, in this article, we found that there are 5 classes of countries according to their level of self-criticism and 7 classes of participants according to their level of self-criticism.…”

Validation of the French version of the Forms of Self‐Criticizing/Attacking and Self‐Reassuring Scale

“…In a large intercultural study from 12 different countries, Halamova et al (, ) reported that a bifactor structure appeared to better fit the data, although the original three‐factor solution had an acceptable fit. This research provides evidence that the two self‐critical scales, IS and HS, might not be considered different factors.…”

“…In a large intercultural study, Halamova, Kanovsky, and Pacuchova (); Halamova et al () referred to the translation of the FSCRS into 10 languages other than French, namely, Chinese (Yu, ), German (Krieger, Martig, van den Brink, & Berger, ), Hebrew (Shahar et al, ), Italian (Petrocchi & Couyoumdjian, ), Japanese (Kenichi, personal communication), Portuguese (Castilho, Pinto‐Gouveia, & Duarte, ), Slovak (Halamova et al, ), Swedish (Lekberg & Wester, ), Urdu (Yasien, Zia, & Yasmin, ), and Dutch (Sommers‐Spijkerman et al, ). A short form of the Dutch version has been validated.…”

The development of the Japanese version of the compassionate engagement and action scales

“…Next, an item showing non-critical attitude ("I am accepting, non-critical and non-judgemental of my feelings of distress") was removed on compassion for self. Previous research shows that self-criticism is higher in Japanese individuals than individuals in other twelve countries [42]. Earlier research has also pointed out that self-criticism in Japanese individuals serve different functions than those in American, which might be caused by cultural differences [43].…”