Development and criterion validity of a computerized text analysis measure of reflective functioning.
The Reflective Functioning scale (RF) is a narrative-based assessment of the capacity to coherently conceptualize one's own and others' subjective motivations, emotions, beliefs, and desires. We report the preliminary results of an effort to develop a computerized text analysis version (CRF) of the RF assessment system. A sample of 113 clinical and non-clinical Adult Attachment Interviews (AAI) were utilized to develop the CRF measure. Using the Marker Approach (Mergenthaler & Bucci, 1999), 54 linguistic markers of high RF language were identified. The associations between CRF and RF were significant in both a clinical sample of patients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) (Spearman rho=.57, p<.0001) and a non-clinical sample of adults (Spearman rho=.57, p=.002). These results suggest that a CRF rating scale is feasible, has preliminary criterion validity, and, therefore, has potential to facilitate the efficient assessment of RF.
City College of New York of CUNY, Psychology, 160 Convent Ave., NAC Room 7/239, New York, NY 10031-9101, USA. efertuck@ccny.cuny.edu
Eric A
EA
Fertuck
Erhard
E
Mergenthaler
Mary
M
Target
Kenneth N
KN
Levy
John F
JF
Clarkin
D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003205:Computing Methodologies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D033262:Narration; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019455:Self Psychology