Factor Structure of the Comrey Personality Scales, the Personality Research Form—E, and the Five-Factor Model

According to McCrae and Costa, Norman's 1963 five-factor model of personality based on peer ratings provides a universal and comprehensive framework for describing individual differences in personality and also for interpreting different personality systems. This study tested the generality and comprehensiveness of the five-factor model using Comrey Personality Scales and Jackson's 1984 Personality Research Form-E. Separate principal axis analyses of scales from each inventory indicated three factors for the Comrey scales and five for the Research Form—E. The three Comrey factors were similar to Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Extraversion in the five-factor model, and the five Research Form—E factors were similar to those in the five-factor model. These results provided strong empirical evidence for the generality and comprehensiveness of the five-factor model.