Revisiting the balanced inventory of desirable responding: psychometric structure and personality correlates across heterogeneous groups.

Introduction: Socially desirable responding (SDR) encompasses both self-enhancing self-views and strategic self-presentation, yet debate persists regarding whether these tendencies reflect response distortion or substantive self-regulatory traits. Methods: The dataset included 130 individuals (19 with medical In a heterogeneous sample of inmates, nurses, managers, and working adults, we examined the structure and personality correlates of the 16-item short form of the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR-6). Phase 1 evaluated dimensionality and item functioning using exploratory graph analysis, item response theory, differential item functioning, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Results supported the theorized two-factor structure comprising Self-Deceptive Enhancement (SDE) and Impression Management (IM), with largely comparable structural patterns and minimal item bias across groups. Phase 2 examined construct validity within Big Five and HEXACO frameworks. SDE was associated with lower Neuroticism and higher Extraversion and Conscientiousness, whereas IM was positively related to Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Honesty-Humility and negatively related to Neuroticism. These associations were largely consistent across correctional and occupational contexts, although modest group differences emerged, particularly for IM. Discussion/Conclusion: Overall, findings indicate that the BIDR-6 captures trait-linked self- and social-regulatory processes that generalize across diverse evaluative environments, supporting interpretations of SDR as more than mere response distortion.