Factor Structure of the New Imaginary Audience Scale in a Sample of Female College Students

The New Imaginary Audience Scale (NIAS; Lapsley, FitzGerald, Rice, & Jackson, 1989) has been used as a research tool with both high school and college aged samples, yet there is no structural validity evidence for its use with college students. This study examined the structural validity of the NIAS via an exploratory factor analysis, using a sample of 321 female college students in a general education class. While the questionnaire's authors hypothesize a unidimensional structure, this study found that a 4-factor solution appeared to be more appropriate for this college sample. Implications and future research are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)