Dimensional structure and measurement invariance of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) across gender.

BACKGROUND

The main goal of the present study was to examine the dimensional structure and measurement invariance of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980) across gender.

METHOD

Two Spanish samples comprising 2,499 college students (71.2% women; M = 21.06 years) and 1,438 adults (57.8% women; M = 40.01 years) completed the IRI.

RESULTS

The study of the internal structure, using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM), revealed that the four-factor structure (Perspective Taking, Fantasy, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress) fitted well to the college students’ data; however, in the sample of adults all factorial models showed modest goodness-of-fit indexes. In addition, the results also supported the measurement invariance of the ESEM four-factor model across gender in college students. Women scored higher than men in all four subscales of the IRI, although differences were not significant for the PT scale. The reliability of the scores in this sample ranged from .72 to.79.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support the factorial validity of the IRI scores and suggest it is a useful instrument to measure self-reported empathy. Future studies should continue to examine the structure and measurement invariance of the IRI in adult populations and across cultures.