Thirty-Five Personality Dimension Questionnaire

Abstract

The Thirty-Five Personality Dimension Questionnaire (35-PDQ), developed by Andrew L. Comrey in 1962, is a comprehensive, 216-item self-report inventory designed to provide a detailed assessment of various personality dimensions. The instrument is structured around 34 specific personality traits, each typically measured by six items. It also includes an 8-item “truth” scale intended to measure the respondent’s willingness to disclose potentially unflattering personal details, serving as a measure of response bias. The development of the 35-PDQ involved the refinement of dimensions studied in earlier works (Comrey & Soufi, 1960, 1961) alongside the introduction of newly developed traits. Psychometric investigation through factor analysis led to the identification of ten overarching factors, which include salient constructs such as Neuroticism, Dependence, Compulsiveness, Friendliness, and Hostility. Reliability was assessed using an average product-moment reliability coefficient, which was subsequently corrected by the Spearman-Brown formula to ensure adequate estimates for the six-item scales.

Keywords

Personality Assessment, Thirty-Five Personality Dimension Questionnaire, Factor Structure, Test Development, Neuroticism, Dependence, Compulsiveness, Hostility, Psychological Inventory, Test Construction

Authors

Comrey, Andrew L.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Thirty-Five Personality Dimension Questionnaire is to provide a detailed and granular assessment of a wide range of human personality traits. By measuring 35 distinct dimensions, the instrument aims to capture the complexity and multifaceted nature of the individual personality structure, going beyond simpler, broad-factor models.

Construct

The instrument measures Personality Dimensions. This construct is operationalized through 34 specific personality traits, such as those related to emotional stability, social interaction, and behavioral control. Additionally, the inclusion of a specialized 8-item “truth” scale allows the instrument to simultaneously assess response style and candor, which is crucial for interpreting the validity of the core personality scores.

Validity

The validity of the 35-PDQ is strongly supported by the results of the initial factor analysis performed during its development. This analysis confirmed that the 35 specific dimensions cluster into ten broader, meaningful psychological constructs, demonstrating structural validity. Key factors extracted included Neuroticism, Dependence, Compulsiveness, Friendliness, and Hostility, which align with established concepts in personality theory. Furthermore, the questionnaire incorporates four dedicated validity check items designed to identify and flag irrational or inconsistent response patterns from participants, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the data collected.

Reliability

Reliability for the scale dimensions was evaluated using psychometrically sound methods, primarily focusing on internal consistency. The authors calculated the average product-moment reliability coefficient for the six-item dimensions. Crucially, this coefficient was subsequently corrected using the Spearman-Brown prediction formula. This correction technique was applied to estimate the reliability of the dimension scores accurately, accounting for the relatively short length of the individual scales. This rigorous approach confirms the internal consistency of the measured traits, although specific numerical reliability coefficients are generally not summarized in the accompanying documentation.

Factor Analysis

The development and refinement of the 35-PDQ relied heavily on empirical data reduction through factor analysis. This statistical methodology was employed to identify the fundamental, underlying structures that account for the variance across the 35 measured dimensions. The analysis successfully extracted ten major factors. These high-order factors serve as the theoretical foundation for the scale, demonstrating that the numerous specific traits measured can be meaningfully organized into a smaller set of core personality structures. The identified factors—including Neuroticism, Dependence, Compulsiveness, Friendliness, and Hostility—are central to the scale’s theoretical model.

Instrument

Test Type: Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The questionnaire is a 216-item self-report inventory. Responses utilize a five-point rating scale (e.g., A. Always, B. Usually, C. Occasionally, D. Rarely, E. Never). Responses are scored numerically, ranging from 5 for an “A” response down to 1 for an “E” response. Dimension scores are calculated by summing the scores of the constituent items for that specific dimension.

Language Available: English (Assumed, based on location and author details)

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older); Young Adulthood (18-29 years); Thirties (30-39 years); Middle Age (40-64 years)

Population Details: The initial research sample consisted of both Students and Non-Students, covering a broad age range from under 20 years to over 60 years of age. The data collection was primarily conducted within the United States.

Test Methodology: The scale uses a standard psychometric methodology involving self-report item responses on a graded five-point scale. The resulting raw scores are aggregated to derive dimension scores, which are then used in factor analytic procedures for structural validation.

Keywords

Andrew L. Comrey, Personality Traits, Psychometrics, Spearman-Brown Correction, Truth Scale, Dependency (Personality), Gregariousness, Hostility Factor

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source material

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source material

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source material

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1962.

Permissions and Fee: The original test items are not publicly available. Interested parties seeking permission to use the scale or requiring information regarding fees must contact the publisher or the copyright holder directly.

Reference’s

• Comrey, A. L. (1962). A study of thirty-five personality dimensions. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 22(3), 543–552. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316446202200312

Items of the Thirty-Five Personality Dimension Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Test items are not publicly available. Please contact the publisher for further information.