Publication Date

7-1976

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

David Shiek, Clinton Layne, Richard Miller

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

The basic theoretical concepts of Rational-Emotive and Rational-Behavior Therapy were discussed along with a psychometric study of an inventory measuring irrational tendencies. The revised Irrational Personality Traits Inventory Scale (IPTIS), an inventory reported to measure how an individual thinks, feels, and acts, was investigated as to the soundness of its psychometric characteristics. More specifically, the purpose of this study was to: (a) determine the reliability of the revised IPTIS with a new sample from an older population, i.e., college students, (b) assess its concurrent validity with a measure of neuroticism, and (c) evaluate the possible effects of a socially desirable response set on the revised IPTIS measure.

The subjects in this study were volunteers ranging in age from 18 to 28. The total sample of 207 was composed of 92 males and 115 females. All subjects were group administered the revised IPTIS followed by the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). The reliability of the revised IPTIS was determined by a Guttman split-half reliability procedure. Concurrent validity and the influence of social desirability was assessed by employing a Pearson product moment correlation between the revised IPTIS and the criterion scales of the EPI.

The results suggested that the revised IPTIS was a sound psychometric inventory with a wide range of variability and was sensitive to varying degrees of rational and/or irrational tendencies. The inventory demonstrated adequate reliability with strong internal consistency (r = .90, p < .01). The revised IPTIS demonstrated good concurrent validity with neuroticism (r = .68, p < .01) and was not significantly influenced by social desirability (r = -.23, p > .01).

It was concluded that the revised IPTIS appeared to be a reliable and valid measure of irrational and/or neurotic tendencies. It did generalize and extend quite well to a new sample from another population and maintained sound psychometric characteristics. The results supported and extended the conclusions of Ross (1976) and also the ABC theory of emotional disturbance as presented by Ellis (1962). It was suggested that the revised IPTIS appeared to provide a useful tool both for future research and clinical practice.

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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