Psychometric evaluation of the PID-5-SF in Arab populations

Background: This study tested the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 – Short Form (PID-5-SF) in an Arab population. The study checked the tool’s factor structure, reliability, measurement invariance, and predictive validity. Testing included both clinical and general groups. Methods: The sample included 982 participants: 751 non-clinical individuals (76.5% of sample; mean age = 39.97 years, 48.3% male) and 231 clinical individuals (23.5% of sample; mean age = 39.81 years) diagnosed with DSM-5-related disorders. The results showed that the five-factor model of the PID-5-SF had structural validity in both groups. Complete measurement invariance was found across the genders and cohorts, confirming consistent measurement properties. All the PID-5-SF subscales showed high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values supporting the reliable assessment of maladaptive personality traits. The instrument also successfully predicted major individual differences in psychological orientation, including collectivism, individualism, and strength. Conclusions: The PID-5-SF showed strong psychometric properties in Arab samples, with a stable factor structure, high internal reliability, and strong predictive accuracy. These results support the use of both the PID-5-SF and AMPD models in Arab cultural contexts. Moving forward, research should focus on culturally adapted changes to improve the instrument’s relevance and effectiveness across diverse non-Western populations.