The Centrality of Events Scale in Portuguese Adolescents: Validity Evidence Based on Internal Structure and on Relations to Other Variables

Abstract

We explored the measurement model of the adolescent version of the Centrality of Event Scale and its invariance across community (n = 1,079; 42.8% male), referred for foster care (n = 205; 58.0% male), and detained (n = 206 male) adolescent participants. Results indicated a three-factor measurement model, including all three functions that memories of significant life events may have, as a good fit to our data, particularly for male participants. This measurement model was invariant across boys taken from those different samples but not across gender. As for the short version of the instrument, a one-factor solution was the best fit to our data. It was invariant across boys taken from those different samples and across gender. Boys and girls expressed similar experiences, whereas community male adolescents reported the lowest impact of a meaningful event, in comparison with referred and with detained boys. These findings provide evidence on the validity of the scale for use with diverse adolescent samples, which may contribute for a better understanding of the impact that significant life events may have on the development of gender-specific and group-specific vulnerabilities.