Replicating the NEO-PI-R factor structure in African-American older adults

Personality structure of African-American older adults using the Baltimore Study of Black Aging (BSBA; N = 234; Age range 49–88, M = 67; 72% women; Education M = 11 years) was compared with the census-matched normative NEO-PI-R factor structure. Principal components with Procrustes rotation was used to calculate factor, facet, and total congruence coefficients. Significant factor congruence coefficients at a 99% probability level or beyond were found, and only three facet-level congruence coefficients did not reach significance. With the exception of cross-loadings on a few facets, most primary and secondary loadings generally replicated the normative structure providing evidence that there are little differences among the African-American older adults and the largely European American normative structure.