Assessing the Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Goldberg’s International Personality Item Pool

This study examines the construct validity of the Goldberg International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) measure by comparing it to a well-developed measure of the five-factor model, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). A sample of 353 diverse students from a large U.S. university completed both measures. Structural equation modeling was used to conduct the multitrait-multimethod, multiple-group, and latent mean analyses. A model with five correlated trait factors and two method factors provided the best fit to the data. Support for convergent and discriminant validity was also found. Racial and gender differences were relatively small for both instruments. These results support the construct validity of the IPIP. However, neither the NEO-FFI nor the IPIP produced a very good fit when analyzing item-level data, suggesting considerable room for improvement.