Validating Circumplex Scales of Perceived Impairments and Benefits from prototypically problematic interpersonal tendencies.

Abstract

Clinical and personality research and theorizing has benefitted from assessing people's experiences of interpersonal problems, but these assessments have neglected assessing people's subjective perceptions of impairments and benefits from such problems. To address this gap, 2 studies tested the reliability and validity of 2 interpersonal circumplex-based measures of subjectively perceived impairments ("Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems-Impairments" or "CSIP-Impairments") and benefits ("CSIP-Benefits") from prototypically problematic interpersonal tendencies. Study 1 (N = 291) found evidence supporting the internal consistencies and circumplex structures of both CSIP-Impairments and CSIP-Benefits, and it compared their structures to other IPC-based measures; Study 2 (N = 564) replicated support for these internal consistencies and circumplex structures and provided construct validity evidence for CSIP-Impairments and CSIP-Benefits by relating them to dark personalities and personality disorder traits. CSIP-Impairments and CSIP-Benefits may aid researchers and clinicians in further understanding and developing therapy strategies for treating problematic interpersonal tendencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).