Measures of Repression: Converging on the Same Construct?

Abstract

Research on individual differences in repression, defined as the tendency not to experience negative thoughts and feelings, has led to the development of numerous measures. This article compares six common measures of repression: 1) the Byrne Repression-Sensitization scale, 2) Weinberger's Repressive Coping Scale, 3) the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory, 4) Miller's Monitoring and Blunting Scale, 5) Sackeim and Gur's Self-Deception Questionnaire, and 6) Paulus's Self-Deception Questionnaire. The measures were highly intercorrelated. A maximum likelihood factor analysis revealed that all but the Monitoring and Blunting Scale loaded on a single factor. Moreover, most of the measures correlated significantly with anxiety and social desirability. The instruments were then compared to assess their relative practical utility. Although all but the Monitoring and Blunting scale appear to measure the same construct, the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory appears to be the most psychometrically sound measure of dispositional repression.