Psychometric Properties and Norms for the Personality Assessment Inventory in Egg Donors and Gestational Carriers

Abstract

Although psychological evaluations are an integral element of screening for third-party reproduction and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is commonly used for these evaluations, little is known about the psychometric properties or normative scores on the PAI among egg donors and carriers. We evaluated the PAI among 1,044 egg donors and gestational carriers from various fertility clinics across the United States. PAI scales were generally internally consistent in this population, although range restriction appeared to attenuate reliability on several scales. The PAI profiles of egg donors and carriers had elevated positive impression management and suppressed clinical scale scores relative to the community standardization sample, as would be expected given the contingencies of this assessment context. Scores were similar across egg donors and carriers and were similar whether the carrier or donor was known or not known to the prospective parents. Sample-specific norms are provided for the use of the PAI in this setting.

Acknowledgments

The following Mental Health Professional Group members of the ASRM are acknowledged and appreciated for contributing data: Nancy Boughey, Andrea Braverman, Sharon Covington, Judy Kottick, Paive Lake, Alexis Menken, and Lisa Tuttle. Special appreciation goes to Lisa Tuttle for her insights regarding the results and to Madeline Feingold for her guidance throughout the project.