Reconstruction and validation of the Personal Style Inventory in a Flemish clinical and student sample.
The Personal Style Inventory-II (Robins, Ladd, Welkowitz, Blaney, Diaz, & Kutcher, 1994) was constructed to assess sociotropy and autonomy; two personality dimensions associated with increased susceptibility to depression. In the present study, the authors used a confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the fit of the theoretical model of the Personal Style Inventory-II in a heterogeneous clinical sample (N=266) and in a student sample (N=799); construct validity was evaluated by correlating the Personal Style Inventory-II scales with the scales of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64 and the Symptom Checklist-90-R. Poor fit of the original Personal Style Inventory-II model was observed in both samples. Yet, after progressive elimination of 18 items, a good fit was obtained in the clinical sample and replicated in the student sample. This brief version demonstrated better construct validity than the long version, especially in a depressed clinical sample: sociotropy was associated with nonassertive, overly accommodating, and self-sacrificing interpersonal behaviour, depressive symptoms, phobic complaints, and anxiety and somatic symptoms; autonomy was associated with cold and vindictive interpersonal behaviour, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and aggressive urges. In contrast to the long version, scores on the shortened version showed the predicted sex differences.
Desmet
Mattias
M
Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Ghent, H. Dunantlaan 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Mattias.Desmet@UGent.be
Vanheule
Stijn
S
Meganck
Reitske
R
Verhaeghe
Paul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult