Assessing the factorial invariance of the Ego Integrity Scale in older adults: A comparative study across cultures and genders between Ecuador and Spain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24310/escpsi.19.1.2026.22042Keywords:
ego integrity, factorial invariance, aging, cross-cultural comparison, older adults, NEISAbstract
This study examined the factorial invariance of the Ego Integrity Scale (NEIS) in older adults from Spain and Ecuador, and across genders. Ego integrity, a core concept in Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, reflects the ability to reconcile past experiences and achieve a coherent life narrative in later adulthood. Two samples of older adults were included: 401 participants from Spain and 394 from Ecuador. Assessments included the NEIS, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Using R software (version 4.5.0), factorial invariance of the NEIS was evaluated through configural, metric, and scalar models across countries and genders. Findings demonstrated strong factorial invariance across both national samples and between men and women. Model fit indices were acceptable for metric, scalar, and strict invariance, indicating that ego integrity is understood in a similar way across these different cultural and gender groups. This study offers solid evidence of the cross-cultural and gender validity of the NEIS, supporting its use in diverse populations. It also reinforces the universal role of ego integrity in psychological well-being during aging. Future research should include more heterogeneous samples and explore the scale’s longitudinal stability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alexandra BUENO-PACHECO, Jefferson Elizalde Socola, Emilia Rodas Toral, Encarnación Satorre, Iraida Delhom, Juan C. Meléndez
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