Development and Validation of the European Portuguese Version of the Multidimensional Emotional Disorder Inventory (MEDI) in a Community Sample

Abstract The objective of this study is to present the psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Emotional Disorder Inventory (MEDI). The sample consisted of 585 individuals (62.4% female) with a mean age of 25.95 years ( SD = 8.07) recruited from the community. In addition to the MEDI, participants completed self-reported measures of neuroticism and extraversion, symptoms of posttraumatic stress, psychopathological symptoms, and experiential avoidance. Confirmatory factor analysis at the item level indicated that the nine-factor model yielded an acceptable fit to the data (CFI = 0.931; RMSEA = 0.054; 90% CI for RMSEA = [0.052; 0.054]; SRMR = 0.065). Intercorrelations between the MEDI dimensions were all in the expected direction and consistent with the original validation study. Acceptable reliability was found for all dimensions, with Cronbach’s alphas and McDonald’s omega ranging between 0.70 (positive temperament) and 0.91 (social anxiety). Only somatic anxiety was below the 0.70 threshold (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.69; McDonald’s omega = 0.68). Correlations with self-reported measures assessing neuroticism and extraversion, symptoms of posttraumatic stress, psychopathological symptoms, and experiential avoidance soundly supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the nine MEDI dimensions. Supporting known-groups validity, all MEDI dimensions also differentiated individuals classified according to the Portuguese cutoff of the Positive Symptom Distress Index of the Brief Symptom Inventory (all p <.001). These results generally attest to the reliability and validity of the European Portuguese version of the MEDI and establish its applicability in clinical and research settings. Further validation in clinical samples is warranted.