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Psychometric Properties of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale: Rasch Analysis

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Abstract

The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) is one of commonly used measures for assessing individuals’ perfectionism. The main purpose of this current study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) within the framework of the Rasch model. The sample consisted of 502 adolescents (53% males and 47% females). This study revealed were several important findings. First, adolescents interpreted the categories of the rating scales of the BTPS as intended and items demonstrated good targeting with the operating ranges from − 4.79 to 4.47 logits for rigid perfectionism, from − 3.84 to 3.76 logits for self-critical perfectionism and from − 4.04 to 3.92 logits for narcissistic perfectionism. Second, rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism and narcissistic perfectionism exhibited unidimensionally, providing justification for the use of summed scores for each scale. Third, the average item difficulty of facets was different within each scale, with the facets of self-worth contingencies, socially prescribed perfectionism and other-oriented perfectionism being more difficult to endorse in their belonging scale. Fourth, there were no DIF items across sex, suggesting that items in three scales functioned equally across boys and girls. Fifth, rigid perfectionism (r = 0.15) and self-critical perfectionism (r = 0.55) were positively associated with neuroticism, but self-critical perfectionism (r = − 0.24) and narcissistic perfectionism (r = − 0.29) were negatively related with agreeableness. Finally, sex moderated the associations between rigid perfectionism and neuroticism. In sum, the findings in this study enhance psychometric properties of the BTPS.

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Data Availability

The data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Notes

  1. The original BTPS is an English version and thus it needs to be translated into a Chinese version for the use in Taiwan. First, the BTPS was translated into Chinese by two experts who were familiar with English and Chinese. When the Chinese version of the BTPS was developed based on comments from these two experts, the third expert who had no prior knowledge of the original scale conducted back translation. Finally, three Chinese adolescents reviewed the translated version to examine whether the items were understood properly.

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  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National PingTung University, No. 4-18 Ming Shen Road, PingTung, Taiwan, ROC

    Pei-Chen Wu

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Wu, PC. Psychometric Properties of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale: Rasch Analysis. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 54, 1219–1230 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01331-w

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