Abstract, In the present study, the second order structures of the 16PF-5 for 3, 4, 5 and 6 factors are analysed in a sample of 636 undergraduate students and their friends and relatives, with a mean age of 25.09 years (sd: 9.20). A two-stage analysis with Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA and CFA) was performed assigning subjects either to a calibration sample (314 subjects), or to a validation sample (322 subjects). First, EFAs were conducted for each of the 4-factor structures with the calibration sample, and second, CFAs were specified and assessed also for the 4-factor different structures. Four different situations were tested, simple structure, secondary loadings >.30, modification indices between covariance error terms >20, and modification indices between covariance error terms >15. Results show that the 16PF-5 simple structure yields poor fit indices throughout all models, although when incorporating secondary loadings and correlating the variances of the error terms with modification indices >15, the 5-factor model appears to be the best representation of observed data. The usefulness of CFA in the study of personality structural questionnaires is discussed in the light of these results.

Cette étude présente une analyse de la structure de deuxième ordre en 3, 4, 5 ou 6 facteurs du 16PF-5 dans un échantillon de 636 sujets composé d’étudiants de licence, de leurs amis et de leurs parents. L’âge moyen des sujets est de 25.09 années (sd: 9.20). L’échantillon a été divisé en deux groups: un group de calibrage de 314 sujets et un group de validation de 322 sujets. Dans un premier temps, une analyse factorielle exploratoire (EFA) a été effectuée pour les 4 structures considérées dans le group de calibrage. Puis, une série d’analyses confirmatoires (CFA) a été effectuée pour évaluer les 4 structures considérées dans le groupe de validation. Plusieurs models ont été évalués, une structure simple, une structure tenant compte des saturations secondaires >.30, une structure tenant compte des covariances entre les termes d’erreurs associés à un indice de modification >20, et une structure tenant compte des covariances entre les termes d’erreurs associés à un indice de modification >15. Les résultats montrent que la structure simple du 16PF obtient des indices d’ajustement faibles pour tous les modèles considérés, et cela même en tenant compte des saturations secondaires et des covariances entre les termes d’erreurs associés à un indice de modification >15. La structure de deuxième ordre à 5 facteurs est celle qui obtient les meilleurs índices d’ajustement. L’utilité des CFAs pour l’étude de la structure de la personnalté est discutée en regard de ces résultats.

Key words: 16PF5, Cattell personality model, Confirmatory factor analysis, Exploratory factor analysis, Personality models.

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