Measuring Patterns of Self-Disclosure in Intercultural Friendship: Adjusting Differential Item Functioning Using Multiple-Indicators,Multiple-Causes Models

This study examined how friendship types, levels of friendship, and cultural backgrounds affected breadth of self-disclosure (BSD). BSD was measured with six self-disclosure topic items—in which higher scores indicated greater willingness to engage in conversations about various topics—from three groups with varying experiences with intercultural friendships. Confirmatory factor analysis was used with Multiple-Indicators, Multiple-Causes models to control for the influence of differential item functioning (DIF, groups responding differently to particular items). Findings in this study found significant evidence of DIF. These findings highlight the complex role of cultural backgrounds in the social penetration processes in intercultural friendships.