The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory–Trait Version (STCI-T60) measures the temperamental basis of sense of humor involving theoretically derived personality dispositions of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood. The reliability and validity of the newly developed STCI-T60 Italian version were assessed in a sample of Italian speakers (N = 683). Proper fit for a three-dimensional factor structure observed in previous studies was replicated and each factor demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The associations between the STCI subscales and major personality dimensions, optimism, resilience, stress, and general well-being were further examined and results were in the expected directions (e.g., cheerfulness and bad mood being positively and negatively associated with well-being variables, respectively). Cross-cultural invariance examination was conducted to provide more validity data for the Italian STCI. Metric invariance was found between Italian and Canadian English speakers (N = 632), but scalar invariance was not shown.
American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
2.
ArbuckleJ. L. (2003). Amos 5.0. Chicago, IL: SPSS.
3.
AshtonM. C.LeeK. (2009). The HEXACO–60: A short measure of the major dimensions of personality. Journal of Personality Assessment, 91, 340-345. doi:10.1080/00223890902935878
4.
AshtonM. C.LeeK.de VriesR. E.PeruginiM.GnisciA.SergiI. (2006). The HEXACO model of personality structure and indigenous lexical personality dimensions in Italian, Dutch, and English. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 851-875. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2005.06.003
5.
AuerbachS. (2017). Are clowns good for everyone? The influence of trait cheerfulness on emotional reactions to a hospital clown intervention. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1973. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01973
BeatonD. E.BombardierC.GuilleminF.FerrazM. B. (2000). Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine, 25, 3186-3191.
8.
BiernackiP.WaldorfD. (1981). Snowball sampling: Problems and techniques of chain referral sampling. Sociological Methods & Research, 10, 141-163. doi:10.1177/004912418101000205
9.
BockR. D.AitkinM. (1981). Marginal maximum likelihood estimation of item parameters: Application of an EM algorithm. Psychometrical, 46, 443-459.
10.
ByrneB. M. (2012). A primer of LISREL: Basic applications and programming for confirmatory factor analytic models. New York, NY: Springer Science + Business Media.
11.
ByrneB. M.van de VijverF. J. (2014). Factorial structure of the family values scale from a multilevel-multicultural perspective. International Journal of Testing, 14, 168-192.
12.
Campbell-SillsL.SteinM. B. (2007). Psychometric analysis and refinement of the Connor–Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC): Validation of a 10-item measure of resilience. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 20, 1019-1028.
13.
Carretero-DiosH.BenítezI.Delgado-RicoE.RuchW.López-BenítezR. (2014). Temperamental basis of sense of humor: The Spanish long form of the trait version of the state-trait-cheerfulness-inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 68, 77-82. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2014.03.045
14.
Carretero-DiosH.EidM.RuchW. (2011). Analyzing multitrait-mulitmethod data with multilevel confirmatory factor analysis: An application to the validation of the state-trait cheerfulness inventory. Journal of Research in Personality, 45, 153-164.
15.
ChenF. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14, 464-504.
16.
ChenG.RuchW.LiY. (2016). Temperamental basis of sense of humor: Validating the state-trait-cheerfulness-inventory in Mainland China. HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research, 29, 77-97. doi:10.1515/humor-2015-0129
17.
ChenW. H.ThissenD. (1997). Local dependence indexes for item pairs using item response theory. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 22, 265-289.
18.
CheungG. W.RensvoldR. B. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 233-255. doi:10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_5
19.
ChiesiF.GalliS.PrimiC.Innocenti BorgiP.BonacchiA. (2013). The accuracy of the Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT–R) in measuring dispositional optimism: Evidence from item response theory analyses. Journal of Personality Assessment, 95, 523-529. doi:10.1080/00223891.2013.781029
CohenS.KamarckT.MermelsteinR. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385-396. doi:10.2307/2136404
22.
ConnorK. M.DavidsonJ. R. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18, 76-82. doi:10.1002/da.10113
23.
Delgado-DomınguezC. J.Escudero-ContrerasA.Font-UgaldeP.Ruiz-VılchezD.Collantes EstevezE.Carretero-DiosH. (2016). Upswings in cheerful mood and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23, 606-610. doi:10.1007/s12529-016-9550-2
24.
Delgado-DomınguezC. J.UgaldeP. F.VılchezD. R.Carretero-DiosH.EstevezE. C. (2014). Positive and negative affective states and disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatology International, 35, 519-524. doi:10.1007/s00296-014-3107-y
25.
Di FabioA.PalazzeschiL. (2012). Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: Proprieta` psicometriche della versione italiana [Connor-Davidson resilience scale: Psychometric properties of the Italian version]. Counseling. Giornale Italiano di Ricerca e Applicazioni, 5, 101-110.
26.
EmbretsonS. E.ReiseS. P. (2000). Item response theory for psychologists. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
27.
EversA.MuñizJ.HagemeisterC.HøstmælingenA.LindleyP.SjöbergA.BartramD. (2013). Assessing the quality of tests: Revision of the EFPA review model. Psicothema, 25, 283-291. doi:10.7334/psicothema2013.97
28.
FalkenbergI.BuchkremerG.BartelsM.WildB. (2011). Implementation of a manual-based training of humor abilities in patients with depression: A pilot study. Psychiatry Research, 186, 454-457. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2010.10.009
29.
GribbonsB. C.HocevarD. (1998). Levels of aggregation in higher level confirmatory factor analysis: Application for academic self-concept. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 5, 377-390. doi:10.1080/10705519809540113
30.
HambletonR. K.LeeM. K. (2013). Methods for translating and adapting tests to increase cross-language validity. In SaklofskeD. H.ReynoldsC. R.SchweanV. L. (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of child psychological assessment (pp. 172-181). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
31.
HeunR.BonsignoreM.BarkowK.JessenF. (2001). Validity of the five-item WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5) in an elderly population. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 251(2), 27-31.
32.
HirschR. D.JunglasK.KonradtB.JonitzM. F. (2010). Humor therapy in old people with depression. Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 43, 42-52. doi:10.1007/s00391-009-0086-9
33.
HirschR. D.KranzhoffE. U. (2004). Humorgruppe mit alten Menschen: Ergebnisse einer therapiebegleitenden Untersuchung. Gruppenpsychotherapie Und Gruppendynamik, 40, 106-129.
34.
HofmannJ.Carretero-DiosH.CarrellA. (2018). Assessing the temperamental basis of the sense of humor: Adaptation of the English language version of the state-trait cheerfulness inventory long and standard form. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2255. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02255
35.
KonradtB.HirschR. D.JonitzM. F.JunglasK. (2013). Evaluation of a standardized humor group in a clinical setting: A feasibility study for older patients with depression. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28, 850-857. doi:10.1002/gps.3893
36.
LauC.ChiesiF.SaklofskeD. H. (2019). The combinative role of traits cheerfulness and seriousness in predicting resiliency and well-being: A moderated mediation model. Personality and Individual Differences, 151, 109515. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2019.109515
37.
LauC.ChiesiF.SaklofskeD. H.YanG. (2019). Temperamental basis of humor in China. A measurement invariance analysis. International Journal of Psychology. Advance online publication. doi:10.1002/ijop.12582
38.
LefcourtH. M. (2001). Humor: The psychology of living buoyantly. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
39.
LittleT. D.CunninghamW. A.ShaharG.WidamanK. F. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits. Structural Equation Modeling, 9, 151-173. doi:10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_1
40.
López-BenítezR.AcostaA.LupiáñezJ.Carretero-DiosH. (2017). Are you ready to have fun? The Spanish state form of the state–trait–cheerfulness inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 101, 84-95. doi:10.1080/00223891.2017.1368022
41.
López-BenítezR.AcostaA.LupiáñezJ.Carretero-DiosH. (2018). High trait cheerfulness individuals are more sensitive to the emotional environment. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19, 1589-1612. doi:10.1007/s10902-017-9871-0
42.
MartinR. A. (2001). Humor, laughter, and physical health: Methodological issues and research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 127, 504-519. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.127.4.504
43.
MellenberghG. J. (1989). Item bias and item response theory. International Journal of Educational Research, 13, 127-143.
MondoM.SechiC.CabrasC. (2019). Psychometric evaluation of three versions of the Italian perceived stress scale. Current Psychology. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s12144-019-0132-8
46.
MullenM. R. (1995). Diagnosing measurement equivalence in cross-national research. Journal of International Business Studies, 26, 573-596.
47.
ReiseS. P.RodriguezA. (2016). Item response theory and the measurement of psychiatric constructs: some empirical and conceptual issues and challenges. Psychological Medicine, 46, 2025-2039.
48.
ReiseS. P.WidamanK. F.PughR. H. (1993). Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory: Two approaches for exploring measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 552-566.
49.
RuchW. (1997). State and trait cheerfulness and the induction of exhilaration: A FACS study. European Psychologist, 2, 328-341. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.2.4.328
50.
RuchW. (2008). The psychology of humor. In RaskinV. (Ed.), A primer of humor (pp. 17-100). Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.
51.
RuchW.CarrellA. (1998). Trait cheerfulness and the sense of humour. Personality and Individual Differences, 24, 551-558. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00221-3
52.
RuchW.HeintzS.PlattT.WagnerL.ProyerR. T. (2018). Broadening humor: Comic styles differentially tap into temperament, character, and ability. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 6. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00006
53.
RuchW.HofmannJ. (2012). A temperament approach to humor. In GremigniP. (Ed.), Humor and Health Promotion (pp. 79-112). Hauppauge, NY, US: Nova Biomedical Books.
54.
RuchW.HofmannJ. (2017). Fostering humour. In C. Proctor (Ed.), Positive psychology interventions in practice (pp, 65-80). New York, NY: Springer.
55.
RuchW.HofmannJ.RuschS.StolzH. (2018). Training the sense of humor with the 7 Humor Habits Program and satisfaction with life. Humor, 31, 287-309. doi:10.1515/humor-2017-0099
56.
RuchW.KohlerG. (1999). The measurement of state and trait cheerfulness. In MervieldeI.DearyI.De FruytF.OstendorfF. (Eds.), Personality psychology in Europe (pp. 67-83). Tilburg, The Netherlands: University Press.
57.
RuchW.KöhlerG.Van ThrielC. (1996). Assessing the humorous temperament: Construction of the facet and standard trait forms of the State-Trait-Cheerfulness-Inventory—STCI. Humor-international Journal of Humor Research, 9, 303-340. doi:10.1515/humr.1996.9.3-4.303
58.
RuchW.KöhlerG.Van ThrielC. (1997). To be in good or bad humour: Construction of the state form of the State-Trait-Cheerfulness-Inventory—STCI. Personality and Individual Differences, 22, 477-491. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(96)00231-0
59.
SamejimaF. (1969). Estimation of latent ability using a response pattern of graded scores. Psychometrika Monograph Supplement, 17, 386-415.
60.
ScheierM. F.CarverC. S.BridgesM. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1063-1078. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1063
61.
SinghJ. (1995). Measurement issues in cross-national research. Journal of International Business Studies, 26, 597-619. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490188
62.
SireciS. G.PatsulaL.HambletonR. K. (2005). Statistical methods for identifying flaws in the test adaptation process. In HambletonR. K.MerendaP. F.SpielbergerC. D. (Eds.), Adapting educational and psychological tests for cross-cultural assessment (pp. 93-115). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
63.
Tapia-VillanuevaL.ArmijoI.PereiraX.MolinaM. E. (2014). Chilean Spanish version of the State Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI-T-60, trait form): Individual and couple forms. Humor, 27, 481-498. doi:10.1515/humor-2014-0074
64.
ToppC. W.ØstergaardS. D.SøndergaardS.BechP. (2015). The WHO-5 well-being index: A systematic review of the literature. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84, 167-176. doi:10.1159/000376585
65.
VandenbergR. J.LanceC. E. (2000). A review and synthesis of the measurement invariance literature: Suggestions, practices, and recommendations for organizational research. Organizational Research Methods, 3, 4-70. doi:10.1177/109442810031002
66.
Vande VijverF. J.PoortingaY. H. (2004). In HambletonR.K.MerendaP.F.SpielC.D. (Eds.), Conceptual and methodological issues in adapting tests. In Adapting educational and psychological tests for cross-cultural assessment (pp. 51-76). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
67.
WrenchJ. S.McCroskeyJ. C. (2001). A temperamental understanding of humor communication and exhilaratability. Communication Quarterly, 49, 142-159.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
