Empirical Test of the Validity of a Unitary Construct Underlying a Modified Form of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory

Abstract

Eight items identified as ambiguous in the 16-item Inconditionality of Regard Scale of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory were rewritten with the purpose of ascertaining whether the resulting scores on this modified scale would exhibit a positive relationship (higher than the previously obtained) with the other three scales that compose the instrument—an outcome that would be hypothesized for an Inventory reflecting a unitary construct of interpersonal behavior in the counselor-client encounter (Rogers, 1967). A sample of 100 subjects responded to its original form and one of 100 to a form with the eight ambiguous items rewritten. As expected in the research hypothesis, the independence of the Inconditionality of Regard Scale decreased significantly in relation to the other scales in the modified form of the instrument as compared with that of the original form. Such a result contributed to the validation of the theory behind the construct interpersonal relationship.