Assessment of the factorial and criterion validity of the General Charisma Inventory in a Spanish-speaking sample

Charisma can be understood as a personality trait that allows one to influence other people. Research on charisma has predominately focused on leadership, but it can also be successfully studied in the general population. The General Charisma Inventory (GCI) has not yet been analysed in different cultures. The current study represents the first attempt to examine and validate this instrument in a Spanish-speaking population.

The GCI was administered in a series of three studies to a large adult community sample (N1 = 756, N2 = 96, N3 = 149). A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify the structure of the GCI. Factorial and criterion validity was examined in the context of well-being and the Dark Triad traits. Measurement invariance across age and gender of the GCI in a Spanish-speaking sample was also analysed.

The results confirmed the hypothesised two-factorial structure and therefore the Spanish version of the GCI is a structurally valid and reliable measure, and its dimensions relate to different outcomes such as well-being and the Dark Triad.

The Spanish GCI could be used in general research on charisma and applied to a wide range of age groups within the Spanish-speaking context, providing economic screening for research and practice.