Taxometric Analysis of the Reduced Brazilian Adult Attachment Scale (EBRAPEG-A)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The literature on attachment is unclear regarding the most appropriate level of measurement for this construct. This study aimed to assess the measurement level of the EBRAPEG-A scale. As a secondary objective, the original 93-item EBRAPEG-A was reduced using data-driven methods and this new reduced version was compared to a 34-item version identified in the literature. A total of 808 Brazilians aged between 18 and 67 years, 82.4% of whom were women, participated in this study. The data-driven reduction method produced a 27-item scale, with factor scores showing a strong correlation with the 34-item version. Taxometric analysis of the 34-item version suggested a slight tendency towards a dimensional model, while the analysis of the 27-item scale was inconclusive. The study discusses how both reduced versions of the EBRAPEG-A can be used to assess the attachment construct as a dimensional variable and outlines expectations for future research.

Keywords

• attachment theory
• adult attachment
• testing
• assessment
• psychometric properties