Amy Paggeot

Date Approved

2014

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Psychology

Committee Member

Steven Huprich, PhD, Chair

Committee Member

Tamara Loverich, PhD

Committee Member

Stephen Jefferson, PhD

Abstract

Gender bias in the diagnosis and assessment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has been the subject of much controversy in the psychological research literature. Evidence regarding differential prevalence rates and diagnostic rates in clinical settings between genders has been mixed, and measurement bias is one potential explanation for these mixed findings. Measurement invariance (MI) is considered a prerequisite for comparing group means on any measure or latent construct. Two structured clinical interviews of BPD were subjected to sequential CFAs to evaluate MI between genders. The SCID-II BPD Scale (First, Gibbon, Spitzer, Williams, & Benjamin, 1997) was found to be measurement invariant between genders, while the PDI-IV BPD Scale (Widiger, Mangine, Corbitt, Ellis, & Thomas, 1995) did not meet criteria for strict measurement invariance. Gender differences were then examined using the SCID-II BPD Scale, and no significant gender differences were found in diagnosis or overall criteria endorsed. However, in the rates of endorsement of individual criteria, differences were found in the unstable relationships item. Implications and study limitations are discussed.

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