Validating the HEXACO Malay version as reflective-formative model: the application of hierarchical component model

The HEXACO personality inventory (HEXACO-PI) model has gained much importance in the last decade. Many scholars have translated the scale into different languages to ensure comprehension and validity across languages. However, its translation in the Malay language and the HEXACO-PI model’s specification, estimation, and validation as a composite model in terms of the reflective-formative model remains unexplored. Considering the notable gaps, we develop the HEXACO-PI model in the Malay language (HEXACO-PI-M) and examine the model as a reflective-formative model using the hierarchical component model (HCM) analysis in a two-phased study. Study 1: We have identified and collected the two data sets and performed the EFA. Study 2: We examined the reliability and validity of facet-level reflective constructs (e.g. sincerity, modesty, fairness, and greed avoidance) and domain-level formative constructs (e.g. honesty-humility) using the HCM. The findings from EFA supported that each domain-level formative construct (e.g. honesty-humility) has four factors solution (e.g. sincerity, modesty, fairness, and greed avoidance). The findings showed that HEXACO-PI-M is a valid, reliable reflective-formative model. This study is distinctive as we develop the HEXACO-PI-M model to specify, estimate, and validate through the HCM approach. Academics and practitioners can employ HEXACO-PI-M across Southeast Asia.