Parent-Reported BIS/BAS Scales for Children: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Age and Gender.
- Authors
- Type
- Published Article
- Journal
- Assessment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2019
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1282–1295
- Identifiers
- DOI: 10.1177/1073191117739017
- PMID: 29094612
- Source
- Medline
- Keywords
- Language
- English
- License
- Unknown
Abstract
The present study examined the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System (BIS/BAS) scales parent-report in children and adolescents (N = 1,444, 58% girls) across age (Group 1, 2-5 years; Group 2, 6-9 years; Group 3, 10-13 years; Group 4, 14-18 years old) and gender. The results consistently underscored a four-factor structure, resembling the original factor structure, with one BIS-factor and three BAS-factors. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed full measurement invariance across gender as well as across Group 1 and 2, and Group 2 and 3. Strong measurement invariance was found across Group 3 and 4, Group 1 and 3, and Group 2 and 4. Configural and metric invariance was found across Group 1 and 4. Hence, mean-level BIS/BAS scores can be compared across gender and age although comparison between preschool children (Group 1) and late secondary school children (Group 4) should be done with caution.
