Factorial Invariance of measurement model of the Brief Fear Negative Evaluation Scale in Gifted and Nongifted Adolescents

This study aimed to evaluating the measurement invariance of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNES, Leary, 1983) in gifted and nongifted high school students. The sample of 680 high school students (gifted 355 and nongifted 325) were responded the BFNES. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the cross-group validity and invariance of factorial structure of BFNES. The results of single-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the two-factor model of BFNES consisted of positive and reverse scored items in across two groups good fit to the data. The results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated cross-group invariance of form, factor loadings, measurement residuals and factor variances and covariances of the BFNES across both samples. These findings emphasizing the group invariance of factorial structure of BFNES indicate that gifted and nongifted adolescents are qualitatively same in structural model of expression of social anxiety.