Modifying the Personal Attribute Inventory: An Alternative Way to Assess Self-Concepts

Abstract

Since choosing 30 words that best describe a target from 50 positive and 50 negative words on the Personal Attribute Inventory may have been artificially restrictive, in the present study 58 college students chose as many adjectives as appropriate; the score was proportionally adjusted according to the number of adjectives checked. Subjects' positive and negative scores were significantly correlated with scores on the favorable subscale (.31) and the unfavorable subscale (.59), respectively, of the parent scale, the Gough (1952) Adjective Check List. Test-retest correlations on the revised version for positive (.65) and negative (.65) scores were significant. Lower test-retest correlations were obtained for the favorable subscale (.35) and the unfavorable subscale (.43) of Gough's check list. Implications are discussed.