Hypervigilance, suspiciousness, and the paranoia spectrum: A latent factor structure and measurement invariance investigation

Hypervigilance and suspiciousness are conceptually overlapping constructs included in measures of paranoia spectrum symptoms. However, no studies have examined the structural relationship between these constructs. Additionally, few studies have investigated whether ethnoracial differences in hypervigilance and suspiciousness are confounded by measurement properties. We hypothesized that the structure of hypervigilance and suspiciousness would be best conceptualized by a hierarchical model. We also tested measurement differences across ethnoracial groups. Community individuals (nFull = 8081, nAsian = 1794, nBlack = 863, nHispanic = 1182, nWhite = 3580) aged 16-30 ascertained from the Multi-site Assessment of Psychosis-risk (MAP) study completed self-report assessments of hypervigilance (PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version) and suspiciousness (Prodromal Questionnaire). Confirmatory factor analyses tested a hierarchical model and a correlated two-factor model. Measurement invariance analyses were conducted on the optimal latent factor structure. Although both the hierarchical and correlated two-factor models showed good fit in the full sample and across ethnoracial groups, only the correlated two-factor model found theoretically consistent loadings on their respective factors. Configural, metric, scalar, and strict measurement invariance was found across ethnoracial groups. Findings suggest that hypervigilance and suspiciousness are distinct, but moderately correlated constructs, which may help to improve the assessment of paranoia spectrum symptoms among community individuals. Measurement invariance tests showed the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version and Prodromal Questionnaire respectively assess hypervigilance and suspiciousness similarly across ethnoracial groups, suggesting that these screening tools are valid self-reports among ethnoracially diverse community individuals.