Application of Generalizability Theory to the Big Five Inventory

•Findings demonstrate the advantages of using GT-based analyses.•Results suggested score reliability for BFI scales with 7–10 items were adequate.•The BFI’s score reliability for two item scales did not reach a .80 threshold.•These findings have indicated BFI score reliability was, in general, acceptable.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the Big Five Personality Inventory score reliability (BFI: John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991) utilizing Generalizability Theory analyses. Participants were recruited from a large public Midwestern university and provided complete data for the BFI on three measurement occasions (n = 264). Results suggested score reliability for scales with 7–10 items were adequate. However, score reliability for two item scales did not reach a .80 threshold. These findings have indicated BFI score reliability was, in general, acceptable and demonstrated the advantages of using Generalizability Theory analyses to examine score reliability.