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Biomedical subjects

A L Comrey

Publications and source records attributed to A L Comrey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Factor analysis and scale revision.

This article reviews methodological issues that arise in the application of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to scale revision and refinement. The authors begin by discussing how the appropriate use of EFA in scale revision is influenced by both the hierarchical nature of psychological constructs and the motivations underlying the revision. Then they specifically address (a) important issues that arise prior to data collection (e.g., selecting an appropriate sample), (b) technical aspects of factor analysis (e.g., determining the number of factors to retain), and (c) procedures used to evaluate the outcome of the scale revision (e.g., determining whether the new measure functions equivalently for different populations).

Factor Analysis, Statistical↗
PubMed1997

Predicting medical students' academic performances by their cognitive abilities and personality characteristics.

PURPOSE: To utilize multiple regression analyses with both linear and quadratic models to explore and confirm the relationships among students' cognitive abilities, personality traits, and medical school performances at the University of Los Angeles, California, UCLA School of Medicine. METHOD: Ninety-seven "not-disadvantaged" students' pre-medical grade-point averages (GPAs), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and personality traits as measured by the Comrey Personality Scales (administered at their application to medical school in 1985) were used to predict their medical school performances according to several criteria. "Disadvantaged" students were excluded from the study because their poor performances on all criteria would confound the relationships of personality, cognitive ability, and performance. RESULTS: The MCAT score was a strong predictor of medical school performances, particularly those criteria measured by medical school GPAs and the National Board of Medical Examiners examination scores, but its predictive power dropped sharply when clinical performance and personal suitability were part of the performance evaluation. Specific personality traits not only strengthened the predictive power of cognitive and personality variables jointly, they became the primary predictors of clinical performance and personal suitability. A single personality-profile index failed to show any power of prediction. As expected, quadratic relationships were found between some personality traits and some medical school performance measures. CONCLUSION: According to these data it is not realistic to use one or two personality traits to predict personal suitability on all medical performance measures. The multiple regression analysis results indicate that different personality characteristics are incorporated in different types of medical performances, which is perhaps why the overall personality-profile score failed to predict any of the studied criteria. Because of the study's relatively small sample size, however, cross-validation studies are necessary to confirm these findings.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1993

A profile of personality for a Russian sample: as indicated by the Comrey Personality Scales.

The purpose of our study was to present a personality profile, based on data from the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS), for a diverse, Russian sample. The CPS was administered to 457 subjects drawn from convenience samples throughout St. Petersburg, Russia. In Part 1 of the study, the structure of the Russian sample's personality was identified. Data from the CPS were factor analyzed. Findings showed strong support for the generalizability of Comrey's (1970) eight-factor personality taxonomy to this sample. The CPS's factors derived from the Russians were compared and found to be similar in structure to samples derived from American, Australian, Brazilian, Israeli, Italian, and New Zealand samples. In Part 2, mean differences on the CPS's scales between the Russian sample and the American sample were assessed. Results showed that although the structure of the Russians' personality was similar to that of the Americans' personality, significant differences in the elevation of scale scores did exist. For example, as a whole, the Russians tended to be more defensive, lethargic, egocentric, and unstable. Contrary to popular expectations, however, the Russians were not more conforming.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Personality characteristics of Hare Krishnas.

Personality characteristics of 132 males and 94 females of the Hare Krishna movement were assessed using the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS). Subjects were sampled from eight U.S. sites. Their age averaged about 30 years, and their time in the movement averaged 8.6 years. The most prominent and surprising finding is the hallmark characteristic of the Hare Krishna personality, a strong compulsivity trait common to both genders, which is slightly stronger in males. Reduced trust in society was exhibited by both gender averages, with slightly less trust among females. Both these averages, however, were within the normal range for individuals. With the exception of compulsivity, average male CPS scores were within the normal psychological range but differed significantly from the normative male group indicating idiosyncratic traits. Average female CPS scores did not differ significantly from the normative female group except for compulsivity and trust. Study of CPS score distributions about group means supported these findings.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1983

Personality structure of Mexican Americans using the Comrey Personality Scales.

The Comrey Personality Scales (CPS) were used to examine the personality structure of 176 Mexican American college students. A majority of the eight factors maintained substantial loadings and corresponded closely with Comrey's normative sample as well as with Brazilian and New Zealand samples. Two factors, Conformity and Orderliness, showed the weakest fit across all four groups. Overall, the CPS shows adequate measurement properties for "normal" personality assessment among Mexican Americans and is preferable to instruments such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). However, the external validity of the CPS with clinical populations must first be determined prior to its use to assess psychopathology among Mexican Americans.

Journal Article↗