Sentence completion tests: a review of the literature and results of a survey of members of the Society for Personality Assessment

Unmasking Verbal Defensiveness: The Role of Psychological Threat in Sentence Completion Tests

Shedding light on the validity of sentence completion test (SCT) verbal defensiveness as an index of defensive behavior, the current two-part study examined the relationship between psychological threat and verbal defensiveness among military security and mission-critical team candidates using SCTs. Our study showed that as the threatening nature of SCT stems increased, defensive responses also increased, substantiating the link between psychological threat and defensive behavior. In addition, expert ratings of stem content revealed moderately strong relationships with defensive responses across two different SCTs, irrespective of their structural characteristics. In contrast to previous studies using total verbal defensiveness scores, we examined specific defensive response types and their associations with stem threat ratings, finding that omissions, denial, and comments about the test were linked to stem threat levels. Lastly, our study extends the application of the SCT verbal defensiveness index beyond specialized personnel selection, finding no significant differences in verbal defensiveness based on gender or military status. Overall, these findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of defensive behavior and its contextual variations.

Personality assessment in military - Bright and dark sides of the assessment measures: A review

BACKGROUND

Personality assessment has its own bright and dark sides, especially in the military setting. It is at play since the emergence of clinical psychology and its application in the recruitment process during World War I and II. Change in personality assessment trends, the evolution of complex personality traits, and changing geopolitical settings across the world necessitate the development of cost-effective, time-efficient, and reliable assessment measures that overcome issues in current assessment measures and fulfil the needs of present timesOBJECTIVE:The objective of this paper is to explore the evolution of personality assessment measures and their uses in military settings along with the comparison of self-report and non-self-report measures. It would give directions for the development of new measures to overcome the issues and drawbacks associated with current measures of research.

METHODS

The research question was formulated using the most valid SPIDER technique for a comprehensive search. PubMed, Google Scholar, and PsycNet databases were searched. 19 articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria out of 775 articles.

RESULTS

Thematic analyses show that personality assessment in the military is done to a) detect psychopathology, b) detect aberrant responses, c) recruit new personnel, d) predict training and performance outcomes, and e) predict leadership. The research contributes to the body of knowledge by showing an integrated picture of the most widely used assessment tools and the purpose it serves.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to develop assessment measures that are culture free and can assess more complex personality attributes.

The Use of Dynamic Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (DCBT) in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): A Theoretical Integration Initiative

Psychotherapy theorists can often become fervent advocates of the schools they follow and place the doctrines of the theories they adopt above all else. This situation can sometimes turn into a war of theories between researchers as well. However, therapists should not aim to shape therapy sessions according to their methods but to use them in line with clients' needs. Although it is emphasised that the integration of both psychoanalytic and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, which is going to be named dynamic cognitive behavioural therapy (DCBT) in this case report, will provide more effective and permanent treatment, a discernible gap exists regarding the integration of these theories and their use in psychotherapy. Taking into account this gap, it is considered important to use this approach with a client who has a social anxiety disorder (SAD). Therefore, this study aims to describe the almost forgotten DCBT approach step by step through a case report and reveal the effectiveness of this approach. As a result, DCBT seems to be effective in the treatment of SAD.

Android Robot Promotes Disclosure of Negative Narratives by Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) demonstrate some challenges with personal narrative writing. Sentence completion tests (SCT) is a class of semi-structured projective techniques and encourage respondents to disclose their private narratives. Even in SCT, only providing beginning of sentences is inadequate to compensate atypicalities in their creativity and imagination, and self-disclosure is difficult for many individuals with ASD. It is reported that many individuals with ASD often achieve a higher degree of task engagement through interactions with robots and that robotic systems may be useful in eliciting and promoting social communication such as self-disclosure for some individuals with ASD. There is a possibility that exemplification by android robots in place of human interviewers can result in a higher degree of task engagement for individuals with ASD. The objective of this study was to investigate whether additional exemplifications by android robots in the SCT can prompt self-disclosure for individuals with ASD. We compared the difference in disclosure statements and subjective emotion in the testing paper of the SCT in additional exemplification by an android robot and a human interviewer. In addition, we assessed the disclosure statements and subjective emotions in the SCT, for which exemplifications were written on testing paper to make the comparison. Our quantitative data suggested that exemplification by android robot promoted more self-disclosure, especially about the negative topic compared to exemplification by a human interviewer and that written on test paper. In addition, the level of participant embarrassment in response to exemplification by the android robot seemed to be lower compared to that in the human interviewer condition. In the assessment and support for individuals with ASD, eliciting self-disclosure is a pressing issue. It is hoped that the appropriate use of robots will lead to a better understanding and support for their application.

The Wisdom Acquired During Emergencies Scale - Development and Validity

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdown restrictions had repercussions on health status, psychological states of mind, and emotion regulation. Attitudes towards these restrictions, beliefs, emotions and behaviours could be wise, as in the acceptance of, and adaptation to, these constraints. On the other hand, they could be unwise, as in the rejection of rules and limitations, denial of the consequences, irrational beliefs, self-accusation, rage and general intolerance. This study aims to introduce the development and validation of the 25-item Wisdom Acquired During Emergencies Scale (WADES). It is a measure to assess the wisdom and self-regulation that are needed to cope with unexpected and unpredictable emergency situations. On the basis of a preliminary study (N₁=212 Italian adults), a multiple-choice scale of 52 items was developed. In the reliability study (N₂=1777), items were scaled, analysed according to the optimal score technique and selected to provide a final and reliable version (Cronbach’s α=0.83). The validity study (N₃=1,345, N₄=1,445, N₅= 878) provided correlations with established scales measuring, for example, traditional wisdom, emotion regulation, empathy, post-traumatic growth, collectivism, conscientiousness and satisfaction with life. The results confirmed that high scores on the WADES are associated with the ability to regulate emotions, control impulses and develop goals in emotional situations, to tolerate current difficulties, while developing new attitudes, values and behaviours, entailing changes in self-perception and relationships. It was thus confirmed that high WADES scores indicate a higher degree of acquired wisdom.

A Decrease in Psycho-Emotional Health in Middle-Aged Russian Women Associated with Their Lifestyle

(1) Background: The present study is aimed to determine the predicting role of objective (lifestyle) and subjective factors of middle-aged women’s psycho-emotional health such as their relations with parents, attachment and separation types. Women who are overloaded with professional and family roles have high stress level, their indicators of psychological well-being and emotional level decrease when they have to give everyday care to their elderly parents. (2) Methods: The research sample has two empirical groups. Sample of Study 1 includes middle-aged women (n = 61) aged 38–56 (M = 48.1, SD = 3.5); sample of Study 2 includes middle-aged women (n = 85) aged 33–52 (M = 40.6, SD = 3.1): married (70.5%) and divorced (29.5%), having children of 14–28 years old; giving everyday care to elderly parents for more than 1.5 yrs. Some live separately (62.3 %), or have to cohabitate with parents (37.7%). All women evaluate their life situation as difficult and manifest signs of high psycho-emotional stress. We used methods adapted for the Russian-speaking sample: getting socio-demographic information, an interview; The scales of psychological well-being; Attachment style and Interpersonal Guilt Questionnaires (study 1); Psychological Separation Inventory, Purpose-in-Life Test, projective methods (study 2), mathematical statistics. (3) Results: A number of factors and indicators of women’s psycho-emotional health decrease in the situation of role overload have been identified. Among the factors there are four main types of women’s relationships with parents: Anxious closeness; Ambivalence of feelings; Secondary relationship with parents; Alienation, predicting of psycho-emotional health that are reducing or enhancing their personal resources. Besides, a type of separation of an adult woman from her mother predicts her level of well-being. (4) Conclusions: The study confirms that middle-aged Russian women’s psycho-emotional health depends on contextual factors (difficult role-overloaded lifestyle) and factors integrating women‘s relations towards parents, attachment, guilt and separation. Types of middle-aged women’s relationships with parents contribute to their psychoemotional health in a different way.

AWOSE - A Process Model for Incorporating Ethical Analyses in Agile Systems Engineering

Ethical, legal and social implications are widely regarded as important considerations with respect to technological developments. Agile Worth-Oriented Systems Engineering (AWOSE) is an innovative approach to incorporating ethically relevant criteria during agile development processes through a flexibly applicable methodology. First, a predefined model for the ethical evaluation of socio-technical systems is used to assess ethical issues according to different dimensions. The second part of AWOSE ensures that ethical issues are not only identified, but also systematically considered during the design of systems based on information and communication technology. For this purpose, the findings from the first step are integrated with approaches from worth-centered development into a process model that, unlike previous approaches to ethical system development, is thoroughly compatible with agile methodologies like Scrum or Extreme Programming. Artifacts of worth-centered development called Worth Maps have been improved to guide the prioritization of development tasks as well as choices among design alternatives with respect to ethical implications. Furthermore, the improved Worth Maps facilitate the identification of suitable criteria for system evaluations in association to ethical concerns and desired positive outcomes of system usage. The potential of the AWOSE methodology has been demonstrated in the context of a technical system (smart glasses for cognitive assistance) that supports elderly and people with particular handicaps.

Evaluating depression in cognitively healthy elderly people by using Mini-Mental State Examination

AIM

We examined a method for evaluating depression with the Mini-Mental State Examination in cognitively healthy elderly people and employed the projective perspective.

METHODS

In MMSE three groups-normal, depressed tendency, and depressed-completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a Japanese version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. The Mini-Mental State Examination evaluated individuals' writing based on a sentence, the number of written words, and sentence content; it also assessed their copying of drawn figures.

RESULTS

In the depressed group, the proportion corresponding to the characteristics of (i) to (iii) was higher than in the other two groups: (i) the calculation score was 0 or 1; (ii) subjects scored above the median in sentence writing relative to similar subjects with the same language and clinical setting; and (iii) subjects expressed feelings in their writing. One point was given for each characteristic, and we calculated the sum. Depressed subjects had a score ≥2.

CONCLUSIONS

This evaluation method can differentiate depressed subjects with high accuracy (sensitivity: 77.8%, specificity: 76.4%) without placing an extra burden on the subjects.

The Scientific Status of Projective Techniques

Although projective techniques continue to be widely used in clinical and forensic settings, their scientific status remains highly controversial. In this monograph, we review the current state of the literature concerning the psychometric properties (norms, reliability, validity, incremental validity, treatment utility) of three major projective instruments: Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), and human figure drawings. We conclude that there is empirical support for the validity of a small number of indexes derived from the Rorschach and TAT. However, the substantial majority of Rorschach and TAT indexes are not empirically supported. The validity evidence for human figure drawings is even more limited. With a few exceptions, projective indexes have not consistently demonstrated incremental validity above and beyond other psychometric data. In addition, we summarize the results of a new meta-analysis intended to examine the capacity of these three instruments to detect child sexual abuse. Although some projective instruments were better than chance at detecting child sexual abuse, there were virtually no replicated findings across independent investigative teams. This meta-analysis also provides the first clear evidence of substantial file drawer effects in the projectives literature, as the effect sizes from published studies markedly exceeded those from unpublished studies. We conclude with recommendations regarding the (a) construction of projective techniques with adequate validity, (b) forensic and clinical use of projective techniques, and (c) education and training of future psychologists regarding projective techniques.

Construct and Incremental Validity of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank in Adult Psychiatric Outpatients

The expression of positive vs negative attitudes in response to the 40 stems of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB) can be scored and summed to an Overall Adjustment Score (OAS). By extending the validation of the OAS to adult psychiatric outpatients, this study demonstrates for the first time the incremental validity of a personality test over a simple self-rating. The RISB and six tests of adjustment were administered to 41 recent admissions to psychotherapy in two rural clinics. The tests of adjustment were selected to cover the two domains of symptoms vs function and the three methods of interview schedule vs objective inventory vs therapist ratings. Their scores were combined into an adjustment composite. The OAS related strongly to the composite in univariate regression, and moderately in hierarchical regression after covarying demographics, intelligence, social desirability, and self-ratings of adjustment. Construct validity was good, and incremental validity at least fair.

Verbal expressive personality testing with older adults: 25+ years later

This review builds on those conducted over 25 years ago by Panek and Hayslip in examining the literature dealing with the use of verbal expressive techniques with older adults. Such findings based on the Rorschach Ink Blot Test, Holtzman Inkblot Technique, Hand Test, Sentence Completion methods, and the Thematic Apperception Test and kindred thematic apperceptive techniques are presented and evaluated regarding the evidence for age differences, differential diagnosis, extraneous individual differences in performance, and adequacy of normative data. Although available evidence appears to warrant the continued use of verbal expressive techniques with older adults, more adequately designed studies are necessary to fully support the potential of these assessment tools for decision making with this population: assisting in diagnosis, recommending the appropriateness of various living arrangements, facilitating supportive care choices, and aiding in treatment planning.

"Hunting with a knife and ... fork": examining central coherence in autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and typical development with a linguistic task

A local processing bias, referred to as "weak central coherence," has been postulated to underlie key aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Little research has examined whether individual differences in this cognitive style can be found in typical development, independent of intelligence, and how local processing relates to executive control. We present a brief and easy-to-administer test of coherence requiring global sentence completions. We report results from three studies assessing (a) 176 typically developing (TD) 8- to 25-year-olds, (b) individuals with ASD and matched controls, and (c) matched groups with ASD or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results suggest that the Sentence Completion Task can reveal individual differences in cognitive style unrelated to IQ in typical development, that most (but not all) people with ASD show weak coherence on this task, and that performance is not related to inhibitory control. The Sentence Completion Task was found to be a useful test instrument, capable of tapping local processing bias in a range of populations.

Construct validity of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank with clinic-referred and nonreferred adolescents

We examined the construct validity of the Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank (RISB; Rotter, Lah, & Rafferty, 1992) as a measure of psychological maladjustment in adolescents. In Study 1, we investigated the reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the RISB with adolescents referred to treatment. In Studies 2 and 3, we examined the RISB's ability to differentiate referred and nonreferred adolescents. The RISB showed adequate interrater reliability and converged with self-reported, parent-reported, and teacher-reported social-emotional and behavioral problems. Criterion-related evidence suggests that the RISB may be useful as a screening measure for adolescents using a 135 or 140 cut score. We provide normative data to facilitate the test's use with adolescents in clinical and research settings.

The Sentence Completion and Three Wishes tasks: windows into the inner lives of people with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND

Measuring the self-perceptions, thoughts, hopes and inner lives of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) has long been a research challenge. Unlike objective or projective tests, semi-projective tasks may provide persons with ID with just enough structure or cues to convey their self-perceptions in a spontaneous and unbiased manner.

METHODS

Sentence Completion and Three Wishes tasks were individually administered to 128 persons with ID aged 5-50 years (mean = 18.75 years). Participants had Prader-Willi, Williams or Down syndromes. Content analyses resulted in 19 codes that were used to reliably score both tasks by independent raters who achieved excellent levels of inter-rater agreement. Participants also received IQ testing, and their parents or care providers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

RESULTS

Frequent themes across both tasks included activities, positive affect, desired objects, and relationships with family and pets. No gender or IQ effects were found, and just a few codes showed modest age effects. Several responses, including dating, friends, food, and positive or negative self-appraisals, were significantly related to either syndrome status or CBCL maladaptive behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

Although not widely used, the Sentence Completion and Three Wishes tasks are useful semi-projective techniques for garnering otherwise hard-to-access self-perceptions and associations of people with ID. Implications are discussed for practice and research.

Risk Propensity Differences Between Managers and Entrepreneurs and Between Low- and High-Growth Entrepreneurs: A Reply in a More Conservative Vein

A recent article (W. H. Stewart & P. L. Roth, 2001) in the Journal of Applied Psychology presented the conclusion from meta-analysis that entrepreneurs have a higher risk propensity than managers and that this propensity is particularly pronounced among the growth-oriented. A previously unresolved question was said to be laid to rest and a "vital component" of a theory of entrepreneurship established. The present article disagrees and cites data from 14 studies not included in the Stewart and Roth (2001) analysis, adding up to a conclusion (supported by new meta-analyses) that entrepreneurs (and those with a growth orientation) are more risk avoidant. Thus, a conservative view, retaining the position that the role of risk propensity in entrepreneurship remains unresolved, is upheld. Potential explanations for the conflicting results are explored.

Four studies extending the utility of the Schwartz Outcome Scale (SOS-10)

The Schwartz Outcome Scale (SOS-10; Blais et al., 1999) is a brief, cost free, and easy to administer assessment device designed to measure a broad domain of psychological health. The 4 studies using the SOS-10 reported here extend the initial reliability and validity studies beyond psychiatric patients in a hospital setting to examine (a) test-retest reliability in a college student population, (b) concurrent validity with college students using an indirect technique assessing maladjustment, (c) concurrent validity with college counseling center clients using a self-report measure of client distress, and (d) sensitivity to treatment changes with outpatient clients. These studies lend further support for using the SOS-10 as a measure of psychological well-being and as an outcome measure in varied settings.

The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank: examining potential race differences

The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB; Rotter, Lah, & Rafferty, 1992; Rotter & Rafferty, 1950) was administered to African American (n = 94) and White (n = 100) members of fraternal organizations at a large Midwestern university to explore possible influences of racial group and socially desirable response tendencies. The RISB protocols were reliably scored (interrater agreement = 92%) by 3 independent scorers blind to participant racial membership. The mean scores of the 2 racial groups were not significantly different (p > .05). However, using the traditional categorical placement scores resulted in a disproportionate assignment rate for African American scores to the maladjusted group than would be anticipated by mere chance.