Personality Assessment Quiz 3

Week 6 notes

missing

Who made the first TAT? When? How many cards?

C.D. Morgan and Murray in 1935. There were 20 pictures

How many cards are on the current TAT?

31

When was the final 31 card version published?

1943/71 (?)

What led to the development of Tell-me-a-story? What ages is it used for? Who developed it?

Concerns were raised about the TAT as all figures are white. So, Constantino et al. (1988/2007) developed the Tell-me-a-story for ages 5-18 with stimulus cards having African American and Hispanic persons

Performance-based measures of personality

indirect assessment where individuals respond to a task rather than completing self-report. These help individuals identify characteristics they do not know about themselves or are reluctant to disclose

How is the TAT different from the Rorschach

- less ambiguous (real pics are used)

- instructions are more open ended and less structured

- TAT requires using your imagination to make something up

Structural Data derived from TAT

- length of the story tells how the person approaches the task (i.e. open and revealing or guarded)

- gives clues to the person's energy level (i.e. short (possibly depressed) or expansive (possibly hypomanic)

- are they a person of few or many words?

- how does the person pay attention to detail? i.e. some minor figures are almost included whereas some peripheral details are rarely mentioned

- is there cohesion, clear logical thinking?

- how are vocab and grammar used?

Card 3BM details

- person sitting on the floor (always mentioned)

- small object on the floor (sometimes mentioned)

- piece of furniture person is leaning on (seldom mentioned)

Thematic data derived from TAT

- content provides clues to underlying needs, attitudes, and concerns

- attribute characteristics to human figures

- depict characters aspirations, intentions, and expectations about self and others

Four aspects of imagery

- How are people identified and described? (i.e. young woman, president of a bank, good gymnast)

- whether they identify with the future or see them as certain other people in their life

- how are figures interacting (i.e. helping or hurting others, emotional tone of the story)

- plot of the story and outcome (success or failute, love gained or lost).

Describe the breakdown of the cards/what they show

- 14 cards - single person

- 11 cards - 2 or more persons in a relationship

- 3 cards- group pictures of 3 or 4 people

- 2 cards- nature scenes

- 1 card - blank

What should the stories include?

- a beginning, middle, and end

- what is happening in the picture?

- what led up to this situation?

- what are the people in the picture thinking and feeling?

- what will be the outcome of the situation?

Teglas (2010) said the most useful cards were:

9 most useful cards: 1, 2, 3BM, 6BM, 7GF, 8BM, 9GF, 10, and 13 MF

Avila-Espada (2000) suggested using which cards?

12 cards -

Males: 1, 2, 3BM, 4, 6BM, 7BM, 8BM, 10, 13MF, 14, 15, and 18BM

Females: 1, 2, 3GF, 4, 6GF, 7GF, 8FG, 9GF, 10, 13Mf, 17GF, and 18GF

Bellack and Abrams (1997) suggested what for TAT use with children?

- cards with the highest number of interpretation respinses and the lowest number of refusals are: 3GF, 7GF, 18GF, and 8GF

- cards that are the least helpful are; 19, 18BM, 11, 12BG

What does the examiner discuss with the examinee?

- the purpose of the test (i.e. to help with developing a plan of treatment specifically for the examinee)

- types of information the test will provide and what will be helpful

- how will the test results be used

How will the test be administered?

- pile cards face down on the table with card 1 on top

- sit at an angle rather than in front of the examinee

- record verbatim examinees stories

- state, "I am going to show you some pictures" or, simplified- "this is a story telling test..."

Describe Bellak and Abrams (1997) analysis sheet

- examiners describe features of the story (main theme, needs and intentions of characters, kinds of affects being experienced, and nature of any conflicts)

- each story is rated for the degree to which it appears to reflect strengths and weaknesses of a person's personality integration (i.e., relatively good or poor sense of reality, high or low tolerance for frustration)

- not widely used

Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS)

- SCORS is used to tap a person's underlying attitudes about themselves, towards other people, and towards relationships

- SCORS is coded on a 7-point scale for 8 dimensions

- Numerical ratings of 1 (least mature) to 7 (most mature are assigned for content and averaged over the number of cards to give a summary for each dimension)

Defense Mechanism Manual (DMM) Cramer (1991)

- Cramer (2015) found good interrater reliability of the DMM and its relationship to personality variables

defense mechanisms

efforts to ward off feelings of anxiety and guilt and protect one's self esteem and sense of wellbeing

- the less developed a persons defense mechanisms are the more likely they are to detract from rather than safeguard the persons ability to feel comfortable and function effectively

what are the three defense mechanisms considered in the DMM?

Three defense mechanisms considered are denial (least mature), projection, and identification (most mature)

Denial (least mature)

- TAT stories that omit mentioning a major figure in the picture, or minimize the possibility of a negative story

projection

projected attributes such as mistrust of others, projecting angry or hostile intentions, excessive concerns about danger and needing protection

identification (most mature)

- when a person adopts certain characteristics of other people to be like them

- emulating another person

- gaining self-esteem through a shared relationships

- coded for specific adult roles such as teacher, scientist, farmer, priest, soldier, etc.

Need for Achievement (n-Ach) McClelland et al (1953/1958)

- hypothesized that TAT scores would reflect the strength of a person's psychological needs and can be used to measure that strength

- from the need to achieve, a scoring scheme for identifying six presumable achievement related features of stories was developed

Need for achievement (n-ach) 6 achievement related features of stories

1. stated desire to reach some goal

2. activity intended to reach that goal

3. anticipation of success or failure in reaching the goal

4. Obstacles that impede goal-directed activity

5. assistance from someone else in achieving the goal

6. affective state associated with success or failure in attaining a goal

Card 1

•Description: Boy sitting at a table looking at a violin placed on the table in front of him.

•Typical stories revolve around either a self-motivated boy who is daydreaming about becoming an outstanding violinist, or a rebellious boy being forced by his parents, or some other authority figure to play the violin

•Frequently gives specific information about the need for achievement

•Any themes of aggression that may emerge particularly the outcome of the story

Card 2

•Description: Country scene with a woman holding a book in the foreground. In the background, a man is working a field while a woman watches.

•Stories involve a young girl who is leaving the family to pursue an education or see opportunities. Usually, the family is seen as working hard to gain a living from the soil

•Provides a description of family relations

•Themes relate to autonomy from the family and status quo

Card 3 BM

•Description: A boy huddled next to a couch. On the floor next to him is an ambiguous object that could be a set of keys or a revolver.

•Story centers around a person who has been emotionally involved with another person and is feeling guilty over past behavior he has committed.

•Concerns themes of guilt, depression, aggression, and impulse control.

•Since it contains a lone figure, attitudes towards being isolated may arouse

Card 6 BM

•Description: An elderly woman is standing parallel to a window. Behind her is a younger man with his face down. He is holding onto a hat.

•Picture elicits stories of a son who is either presenting news to his mother or attempting to prepare her for his departure

•Provides source of attitudes and feelings towards mother and/or striving for independence

•Does struggle involve guilt?

•What is mother's reaction?

Card 7 GF

•Description: A young girl is seated on a couch and is holding a doll in her hands. Behind her is an older woman who appears to be reading to her out of a book.

•Story usually perceived as mother and daughter, with mother advising, consoling, scolding, or instructing the child

•Brings out mother-child interaction, sometimes perceived as rejecting and elicits negative feelings and interactions

Card 8 BM

•Description: A young boy in the foreground is staring directly out of the picture. In the background is a hazy image of two men performing surgery on a patient who is lying down.

•Stores involve ambition or aggression

•Aggressive stories related to being harmed or mutilated in a passive state

Card 9 GF

•Description: A woman in the foreground is standing behind a tree, observing another woman who is running along a beach below.

•Stories involve 2 women in conflict over man

•The woman hiding behind the tree has possibly done something wrong

•Very unusual to have a story of cooperation as the central plot

Card 10

•Description: One person is holding his or her head against another person's shoulder. The gender of the two persons is not defined.

•Center around some interaction and may involve either a greeting or departure

•Gives information about how male-female relationships are perceived

•Note the degree of comfort or discomfort expressed by the clossness

Card 13 MF

•Description: A young man is standing in the foreground with his head in his arms. In the background is a woman lying in a bed.

•Stories frequently center around guilt induced by illicit sexual activity.

•Themes involve death of the woman on the bed and resulting grief of the man

•Provides information on attitudes and feelings towards his or her partner

•Because of the large number of details, people with OCD personalities spend an excessive amount of time describing details

Inquiry after Administration

•Think about your stories - do any themes stand out to you?

•What surprised you about the stories you told?

•What was your least favorite story?

•What was your favorite story?

•What was it like to share your stories?

Stein et al. 2014- SCORS-G Stimulus Characteristics of Select TAT Cards

Purpose: to determine and highlight any evidence for card pull on the SCORS-G by analyzing stimulus properties of a selected group of TAT cards

Past Research on Stimulus Pull -Alvarado (1994)

•looked at pull for emotional investment, affect tone, self-esteem and identity and found Cards 1 and 2 were similar, Cards 13 MF and 4 were similar, and Cards 3 BM and 12 M were similar.

Past Research on Stimulus Pull - Ehenreich (1990)

•found 3 BM and 13 MF contained the lowest level of defenses, whereas Card 2 tended to contain the highest, most adaptive level of defenses. (Ehrenreich defined defenses as dependent, interdependent, independent, or autonomous).

Seedwaldt (2006)

•Focused on stimulus characteristics across and within TAT Cards 1, 2, 3 BM, 4, 5, and 13MF

•Used the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method for conceptualizing interpersonal themes

•CCRT uses 3 components: the Wish (W), Response from Other (RO), and the Response of SELF (RS)

•Table 2 in the Stein et al. (2014) highlights a research summary on stimulus pull

Stimulus Pull onCard 1 as outlined in Stein et al. (2014) Table 2

•Emotional Tone: neutral to moderately sad

•Most frequent outcome: happy

•Frequently Occurring Themes: Aspiration, parental pressure/conflict, belongingness, achievement, intermediate levels of defense, external locus of control

•CCRT Wish (W) 1. To achieve and help others, and 2. To feel good and comfortable

SCORS-G

•8 Variables on a 7-point Likert-type scale

•1, 2, and 3 are more pathological responses

•5, 6, and 7 indicate healthier responses

Complexity of People (COM)

•Assesses how well a person can see internal states of self and others

•Assesses relational boundaries and ability to integrate positive and negative aspects of self and others

•Splitting (viewing self and others as good or bad) should decrease over time

•Representation of self and others should become more differentiated over time

Affective Quality of Representation (AFF)

•Person's expectations of others in a relationship and descriptions of others in the past

•Assesses emotional tone of the narrative

•Does person expect relationships to be painful and/or threatening vs. pleasurable and enriching?

Emotional Investment in Relationships(EIR)

•Assesses a person's ability for intimacy and emotional sharing

Emotional Investment in Values and Moral Standards (EIM)

•Early development is based solely on needs and others are used for gratification

•Captures the capacity to develop and the extent to which a person uses abstract thought in relation to morality and compassion for others

Understanding of Social Causality (SC)

•Understanding of impact of behavior on self and others

•Assesses how person understands human behavior and how person infers social causality

•Individuals with severe personality disorders tend to make illogical conclusions

•Healthier persons form more accurate attributions regarding other's intentions

Experience and Management of Aggressive Impulses (AGG)

•Assesses a person's management of anger and how anger is expressed and regulated

•Person's ability to tolerate and manage aggression appropriately

Self Esteem (SE)

•Assesses aspects of self in relation to others

•Assesses how reactive one's sense of self is to the environment

•Considers level of integration in self-concept

Identity and Coherence of Self (ICS)

Assesses a person's level of fragmentation and integration of self

Participants in Stein et al. (2014) study

•80 outpatients (48 male) referred for psychological assessment

•Primarily White (91%)

•Mean age = 38 (SD = 15)

•Education 14.5 years (SD = 3)

•Referring Diagnoses: Depressive Disorder (47%), Anxiety Disorder (18%), Bipolar disorder (17%).

•Often had multiple diagnoses

•Approximately 41% of participants had history of psychiatric hospitalization

Raters and Cards Utilized in Stein et al. (2014) Study

•2 Expert raters, each with approximately 5 years of experience in using the SCORS-G

•Administered Cards 1, 2, 3BM, 4, 13MF, 12M, and 14

Results of Stein et al. (2014)

•Cards 3 BM and 13 MF had the greatest pull for negative pathological object representations

•Card 2 had the highest pull for adaptive and mature object representations

•Comparing Stein et al. (2014) results to Ehrenreich (1990) who found 3 BM and 13 MF contained the lowest level of defenses, i.e., dependent; whereas, Card 2 tended to contain the highest most adaptive level of defenses, i.e., independent and autonomous.

Clinical Validity of a Dimensional Assessment of Self- and Interpersonal Functioning in Adolescent Inpatients (Haggerty et al. 2015)

•Examines the reliability and validity of the SCORS-G with adolescents

Investigated the use of the SCORS-G with an adolescent inpatient sample using different data sources (clinicians with different experiences with the patient)

- 72 hospitalized adolescents

- all 8 items of the SCORS-G were averaged

Haggerty et al. results

•Achievement of interrater reliability was obtained on the SCORS-G between 2 clinicians with different patient experiences (i.e., individual therapist ratings and group therapist ratings).

•With less but comprehensive training, clinicians can provide reliable ratings on the SCORS-G as shown by the SCORS-G composite ratings being significantly correlated with the GAF admission mean score, global ratings of engagement in individual and group therapy, and ratings of school functioning and peer relationships.

Application of a Multitrait-Multimethod Matrix to Social, Emotional and Behavioral Screening (Feeney-Kettler et al., 2019)- sample size?

•Purpose: To evaluate the Preschool Behavior Screening system (PBSS) developed by Feeney-Kettler et al. (2009) for identifying children's social, emotional and behavioral difficulties.

•Sample included 122 triads (3- to 5-year-old children, parents, and teachers)

Comparing the PBSS to the SSBD-2:

•Drawback of SSBD-2 was a lack of multiple informants (teacher only rating)

•Stage 1 - Teacher nominated 5 classroom children with most symptoms

•Stage 2 - Top 3 with internalizing & externalizing behaviors were chosen for intervention

•Potential for missing classroom children with less severe symptoms who did not receive teacher nominations

Preschool Behavior Screening System (PBSS)

•Phase 1 - All children received individual rankings from teacher and parent on 2 rubrics (internalizing & externalizing) on a 5-point Likert type scale with 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always) and when symptoms were present parents and teachers indicated the intensity of symptoms.

•Based on sum and frequency of both teacher and parent ratings - child advanced to Phase 2.

Phase 2 of PBSS

•60 Teacher Items (20 internalizing, 24 externalizing, 16 prosocial)

•59 Parent Items (20 internalizing, 22 externalizing, 17 prosocial)

•Criterion measure was the BASC-2 Teacher and Parent Rating Scales

•Internal Consistency Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .87 - .92 for Internalizing behaviors, .87 -.97 for Externalizing behaviors, .91 -.97 for Adaptive Skills

PBSS Time efficiency

•Phase 1

•Teachers - 12 minutes (SD = 9 minutes)

•Phase 2

•Teachers - 16 minutes (SD = 10 minutes)

•Phase 1

•Parents - 9 minutes (SD = 9 minutes)

•Phase 2

•Parents - 12 minutes (SD = 11 minutes)

Feeney-Kettler Results

•Stronger validity evidence for the PBSS externalizing symptoms scale, prosocial behavior, and total problems scale

•Less evidence for the PBSS internalizing symptoms scale

•Caution in interpreting internalizing difficulties, such as anxiety and depression in preschool children

•Use elevated internalizing symptoms scale as ONLY one piece of evidence in identification and treatment recommendations

Feeney-Kettler 2019 overview of findings

•Highlighted the importance of using multiple informants because children act different in different settings

•Expectations are different in different settings

•Interpretation of raters differ in different settings

•Limitation of study was not using the most recent version of the BASC (BASC-3)

PBSS practical implications

•PBSS is a valuable tool for screening for social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties and can be used as a universal screener to identify students with special needs and employ interventions targeted to those needs.

•PBSS can be used in preschools as an annual screener for SEB difficulties.

•PBSS can provide formative feedback to teachers and staff implementing interventions targeting SEB skills.

Theoretical basis for the social cognition and object relations scale-global rating method (SCORS-G)

- social cognitive theory

- object relations theory

Social cognitive theory

•Human behavior is influenced by personal, behavioral, and environmental factors

•Cognition plays a role in encoding and performing behaviors

•Personality development is influenced by the environment and individuals shape the environment

Object relations theory

•Object relations theorists see human contact and the need to form relationships as the prime motivation for human behavior and personality development

•The term "object" refers to mother, father, or primary caregiver

•Central to the theory is the notion of splitting - separating objects into "good" and "bad" parts and repression of the "bad," or anxiety-provoking, aspects (Klein, 1932).

Westen 1985… Stein and Slavin-Mulford (2018)

•Integrated principles from Social Cognitive and Object Relations Theory to create the 8 dimensions of the SCORS-G

•Stein and Slavin-Mulford (2018) - developed a comprehensive clinician/researcher's guide that provides narratives for each of the 8 dimensions with SCORS-G ratings that can be used to establish inter-rater reliability

I am assuming we don't need to memorize the individual ratings of each SCORS rating thing (E.g. what 1-7 are for COM)