Examining Cultural Validity of the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) in Italy

The problem-solving inventory (PSI) is the most widely used applied problem-solving measure in the United States. Although a great deal of validity and reliability information exists for the PSI, much of this data has been collected in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the PSI’s psychometric estimates with a large sample of Italian high school students across geographically representative regions of Italy. Results revealed a similar but slightly different PSI factor structure in the Italian PSI, as well as sex differences (which have been rarely found in the U.S. samples) and different associations with intelligence. In addition to providing useful psychometric information for an Italian PSI, this study identifies the complexities of problem-solving appraisal cross-culturally. Finally, this investigation also serves to underscore the necessity to examine the cultural validity of assessment instruments used in the increasing number of cross-national studies: the widespread practice of simply translating inventories developed in one country and then using them in other cultural contexts can create significant methodological problems.