The Problem-Solving Inventory: Appraisal of Problem Solving in the Arab Context, Factor Structure, and Validation

Abstract

The Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) is a self-report measure of applied problem solving that is commonly used in various ethnic groups and cultures. The present study developed a 27-item inventory and labeled the Arabic version the “PSI-Ar.” The PSI-Ar was validated by examining its psychometric properties, the replicability of its factor structure, and its measurement equivalence across genders as well as possible latent mean differences between genders based on 4 studies with 2,072 Egyptian college students (Study 1, N = 607; Study 2, N = 321; Study 3, N = 550; and Study 4, N = 915). Respondents from Study 2 were included into the Study 4 sample. The first study identified 3 PSI factors in the Egyptian sample, similar to those originally identified by Heppner and Petersen (1982) . The second study cross-validated the PSI-Ar in a different sample, demonstrating the replicability of the factor structure and the stability of the findings across different samples. Study 3 provided evidence for the construct validity and test–retest reliability of the PSI-Ar. Finally, Study 4 provided evidence for the measurement invariance of the PSI-Ar across gender and revealed that no latent mean differences exist between genders for the total PSI and the three factors. The findings of the present study supplement the emerging evidence for the validity of the PSI in various cultures and have implications for assessment and practice related to problem-solving appraisals in the Arab cultural context.