Inventory Of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Research Articles

The role of childhood traumas, interpersonal problems, and contrast avoidance model in development of the generalized anxiety disorder: A structural equation modeling.

The present study was conducted to investigate the mediating role of interpersonal problems, contrast avoidance of worry, and emotional contrast avoidance in the relationship between childhood trauma and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In this cross-sectional study, 457 individuals (with mean age of 31.5 ± 5.49 years old) with symptoms of GAD who had been referred to psychotherapy centers in Khorramabad City, Lorestan Province, Iran were included. The tools used for data collection were the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Brief Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C), the Contrast Avoidance Questionnaire-Worry (CAQ-W), the Contrast Avoidance Questionnaire-General Emotion (CAQ-GE), and the GAD Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7). The results showed that contrast avoidance of worry and interpersonal problems had a direct and significant effect on symptoms of GAD (p < .001), but childhood trauma and emotional contrast avoidance had no direct and significant effect on symptoms of GAD (p < .05), and also contrast avoidance of worry and interpersonal problems significantly mediated the relationship between childhood traumas and symptoms of GAD (CI [.01,.30]). Generally, our results showed that the people who have had trauma experiences in childhood may face difficulties in interpersonal relationships later in life. While faced with unpleasant events triggering their negative emotions, these individuals tend to have worry in order to prolong and maintain a negative emotional state-thereby avoiding an unexpected negative emotional shift or contrast experience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Interpersonal Decentering and Interpersonal Problems: Testing the Multi-Method Utility of Person-Situation Interactions in Thematic Apperception Tests

Mature interpersonal decentering is a form of social cognitive role-taking involving reflective thought about one’s interpersonal relationships. Previous research examining main effects for persons, card situation content, story content, and person-card interactions found more mature decentering in stories about heterosexual romantic-pull Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) cards (HRC) as compared with stories about nonromantic cards (NRC). To see whether differences in means corresponded to differential criterion validity, this multi-method study examined Inventory of Interpersonal Problems circumplex (IIP-C) scores associated with young adults’ decentering maturity and deficits, comparing correlations with IIP-C scores of decentering scores calculated from HRC versus NRC. Similarly, to test the effect of story content, IIP-C scores were correlated with decentering scores calculated from stories having romantic versus nonromantic story content. Using circumplex statistical tests, decentering deficits were associated with domineering/vindictive interpersonal problems, and mature decentering with nonassertive/exploitable problems. Men who reported more exploitable problems decentered more maturely across all situations. Women who decentered more maturely in response to HRC reported more socially avoidant problems, whereas those who decentered more maturely to NRC reported more exploitable problems. Results for romantic versus nonromantic story content were largely uninterpretable (did not meet circumplexity assumption). Findings might assist clinicians’ card selection.

Interpersonal styles, peer relationships, and outcomes in residential substance use treatment

Interpersonal relationships play a key role in recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). We examined the associations between problematic interpersonal styles, peer relationships, and treatment outcomes in a sample of U.S. military veterans in residential SUD treatment. Participants were 189 veterans enrolled in a residential SUD treatment program at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. Participants were interviewed at the time of treatment entry (baseline), one month into treatment, and 12months following discharge from treatment. More problematic interpersonal styles at treatment entry, measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C), predicted more SUD symptoms 12months post-discharge (r=0.29, P<0.01). Results of a principal components analysis of the IIP-C subscales revealed three main factors of interpersonal styles: Passive, Cruel/Aloof, and Controlling. With the exception of the Passive factor, the relationship between these interpersonal styles and SUD symptoms 12months after discharge was mediated by relationship quality with peers one month in treatment: i.e., more problematic interpersonal styles at baseline predicted poorer relationship quality with peers at 1month, which in turn predicted more SUD symptoms at 12months. Results demonstrate the importance of assessing interpersonal styles among patients in residential SUD treatment, as well as potentially augmenting existing evidence-based psychosocial treatments with a focus on interpersonal styles.

Are there subtypes of panic disorder? An interpersonal perspective.

Panic disorder (PD) is associated with significant personal, social, and economic costs. However, little is known about specific interpersonal dysfunctions that characterize the PD population. The current study systematically examined these interpersonal dysfunctions. The present analyses included 194 patients with PD out of a sample of 201 who were randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy, panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy, or applied relaxation training. Interpersonal dysfunction was measured with the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (Horowitz, Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 2000). Individuals with PD reported greater levels of interpersonal distress than that of a normative cohort (especially when PD was accompanied by agoraphobia), but lower than that of a cohort of patients with major depression. There was no single interpersonal profile that characterized PD patients. Symptom-based clusters (with vs. without agoraphobia) could not be discriminated on core or central interpersonal problems. Rather, as revealed by cluster analysis based on the pathoplasticity framework, there were 2 empirically derived interpersonal clusters among PD patients that were not accounted for by symptom severity and were opposite in nature: domineering-intrusive and nonassertive. The empirically derived interpersonal clusters appear to be of clinical utility in predicting alliance development throughout treatment: Although the domineering-intrusive cluster did not show any changes in the alliance throughout treatment, the nonassertive cluster showed a process of significant strengthening of the alliance. Empirically derived interpersonal clusters in PD provide clinically useful and nonredundant information about individuals with PD.

Defense Style as a Predictor of Change in Interpersonal Problems among Patients Attending Day Treatment for Personality Disorder

Healthy interpersonal functioning, and a reduction of the distress associated with maladaptive interpersonal behavior, is a focus of treatment for personality disorder (PD). Patients with PD are also known to make a preferential use of immature defenses. We examined change in interpersonal problems as a critical outcome, and defense style as a predictor of this outcome. Consecutively admitted patients to a group-oriented day treatment (DT) program were recruited (N = 32). Predictor variables were represented by subscale scores from the 40-item Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40); outcomes were represented by the global distress and interpersonal octant scores from the 64-item Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C). Significant inverse correlations were observed between Neurotic defenses and change in both interpersonal distress and problems associated with the Vindictive, Cold, Socially Inhibited, and Non-Assertive octants. Partial correlations, adjusting for baseline IIP-C scores, remained significant. Additional inverse relations between Neurotic defenses and improvement in the Domineering, Exploitable, and Overly Nurturant octants also emerged in the partial correlation analysis. Neurotic defenses are oriented to "splitting off" the affective element of experience; in the case of patients with PD, this affective element may often involve hostility. An orientation to use of Neurotic defenses also appears to be more trait-like and thus resistant to change. The findings highlight developing skill in affective communication, and addressing maladaptive interpersonal behaviors in the here-and-now, as mechanisms of therapeutic change in DT of patients with PD. The sample was small and assessment of defense style and interpersonal problems relied on patient self-report.

Interpersonal problems and impacts: Further evidence for the role of interpersonal functioning in treatment outcome in major depressive disorder

IntroductionEmpirical research has converged to support the concurrent association between social difficulties and psychiatric symptoms; yet, longitudinal associations between interpersonal problems and treatment outcome require clarification. The current investigation evaluated the influence of interpersonal problems assessed prior to treatment on interpersonal impacts assessed during treatment as well as on treatment outcome in outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Method125 participants with a primary diagnosis of MDD were randomized to receive cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex before and after treatment. Therapists completed the Impact Message Inventory during and after treatment. ResultsInterpersonal distress improved over the course of treatment; all other interpersonal changes were non-significant when distress was taken into account. Pre-treatment rigidity and agentic problems predicted less reduction in depressive symptoms, whereas agentic and communal impacts upon therapists during treatment predicted greater symptom change. Overall interpersonal distress was only indirectly associated with treatment response later in treatment, through its association with agentic style. Results did not differ across therapy type, and were replicated across self-report and interviewer-rated measures of depression severity. LimitationsLimitations include the brief duration of treatment, lack of medication arm, and potentially restricted generalizability of patients in a randomized control trial to those in routine practice. ConclusionsInterpersonal style demonstrated a trait-like stability over treatment, and appears to fluctuate due to co-occurring distress. Yet, specific interpersonal styles were negative prognostic indicators, even within therapy specifically targeting interpersonal functioning.

Erratum to: An Exploratory Study of Integrative Personality Pathology Systems and the Interpersonal Circumplex

Calculation errors in “An exploratory study of integrative personality pathology systems and the interpersonal circumplex” by Hopwood, Koonce, and Morey (2009) led to systematic over-estimates of amplitude and elevation parameters reported in that paper. In Table 1 of that paper, amplitude parameters were estimated for two interpersonal surfaces, the Interpersonal Adjective Scales (IAS) and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex (IIP-C) using trait scales from the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP-BQ). As the elevation parameter is of limited interpretability on the IAS, elevation parameters were only reported for the IIP-C. Correct and reported values for Table 1 of the original paper are reported in Table 1 below. Calculation errors led to reported values that are uniformly higher than actual values (average over-estimate for amplitude was .13 and the average over-estimate for elevation was .09), however the correlations between the reported and correct values were>.95 for amplitude across all four subsets of analyses (i.e., IAS and IIP-C with SNAP and DAPP) and the correlations between reported and correct elevations were .86 for the DAPP and IIP-C and .99 for the SNAP and IIP-C. Given that calculation errors were uniform (i.e. largely correct in terms of rank order but consistently higher in terms of magnitude), substantive conclusions from the paper generally hold with the application of a more relaxed rubric for interpreting meaningful elevation and amplitude values. Specifically, Hopwood et al. classified elevation values>.30 as indicating meaningful relations to interpersonal problems and amplitude values>.30 as indicating thematic interpretability on the interpersonal circumplex surfaces. As all amplitude and elevation parameters that were reported to be>.30 are nearly all>.20, changing these cutoffs to .20 would lead to the same substantive conclusions. There were two exceptions. First, whereas the DAPP-BQ submissiveness amplitude on the IIP-C was originally reported as .34, which is above the interpretability cutoff of .30, the actual value is .18, which is below the corrected cutoff of .20. Second, the Insecure Attachment amplitude originally reported as .28 was below the cutoff of .30. However, the actual value of .20 would meet the .20 cutoff for the corrected values. Calculation errors also affected the amplitude estimates reported in the final column of Table 3 of the Hopwood et al. paper. The correct and reported values are given in Table 2. Again, these parameters were uniformly overestimated, and the results do not change substantive conclusions in the paper. The online version of the original article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1007/s10862-008-9124-y.

Sex Differences in Interpersonal Problems: Does Sexual Orientation Moderate?

ABSTRACT Sexual orientation was examined as a moderator in the relation between biological sex and interpersonal problems. Participants were 60 lesbians, 45 heterosexual women, 37 gay men, and 39 heterosexual men, who completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex. Sexual orientation was found to moderate one of the eight interpersonal problems under study. Heterosexual women scored significantly higher than lesbian women in Non-assertive. Although hypothesized, gay men did not differ from heterosexual men along the Dominant-Cold quadrant. Implications of these results are discussed.

Evaluating the Interpersonal Content of the MMPI–2–RF Interpersonal Scales

Convergence between the MMPI–2 Restructured Form (MMPI–2–RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008) interpersonal scales and 2 interpersonal circumplex (IPC) measures was examined. University students (N = 405) completed the MMPI–2 and 2 IPC measures, the Interpersonal Adjectives Scales Revised Big Five Version (IASR–B5; Trapnell & Wiggins, 1990) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex (IIP–C; Horowitz, Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 2000). Internal consistency was adequate for 3 of the 6 scales investigated. The majority of scales were located in their hypothesized locations, although magnitude of correlations was somewhat weaker than anticipated, partly owing to restricted range from using a healthy sample. The expected pattern of correlations that defines a circular matrix was demonstrated, lending support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the MMPI–2–RF interpersonal scales with respect to the assessment of interpersonal traits and problems.

The association between depressive symptoms and emotion recognition is moderated by emotion regulation

In this study, we examined the associations between depression and aspects of emotional functioning, namely emotion recognition, affectivity and interpersonal problems. Particularly, the moderating role of emotion regulation in these interrelations was tested in a sample of 85 women, who exhibited a wide range of depressive symptoms (Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)). Emotion recognition was assessed with a paradigm displaying a widely used set of photographs of the six basic emotions in graded intensities. Further, participants were examined regarding emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)), interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C)) and affectivity (Affect Intensity Measure (AIM), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)). Besides correlation analyses, Johnson–Neyman technique for probing interactions in linear regression models was applied to test for possible moderating effects. Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with error rates in anger recognition, but not with the other basic emotions. This association was moderated by suppression in that regard that more severely depressed women who more frequently used suppression showed superior recognition of angry faces than those with lower suppression values. Further, suppression was associated with an affective imbalance and interpersonal problems in women with current depressive disorder. In sum, our results emphasize the importance of differentiating subtypes of depression depending on emotion regulation capabilities for research on or treatment of emotional functioning in depression.

Interpersonal problems as predictors of therapeutic alliance and symptom improvement in cognitive therapy for depression

The degree to which interpersonal problems of depressed patients improve over the course of cognitive therapy (CT) and relate to the quality of the therapeutic alliance and to symptom improvement, remains unclear. We analyzed data of adult outpatients (N=523) with major depressive disorder participating in a clinical trial to determine the factor structure of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C) and to relate the observed factor scores to the quality of the therapeutic alliance and symptom improvement over the course of CT. Patients received 16-20 sessions protocol (50-60 min each) of individual CT according to the treatment manual by Beck et al. (1979). We found a three-factor structure (interpersonal distress, agency, and communion) of interpersonal problems. Interpersonal distress decreased (d=.90), but interpersonal style did not change substantively during CT (communion d=.03; agency d=.14). High initial agency scores related negatively to the therapeutic alliance (β=-.12), whereas high initial communion scores related positively to the therapeutic alliance (β=.15). Elevated pre-treatment interpersonal distress scores were related to both weaker therapeutic alliances (β=.13) and higher symptom levels throughout treatment (β=.10). All patients in this study had recurrent MDD and it is therefore uncertain whether the results would generalize to patients with other psychiatric disorders. This study supports the use of the IIP-C as a comprehensive measure of patients' interpersonal style and interpersonal distress. The IIP-C measured before CT showed some predictive validity with respect to therapeutic alliance measured at the midpoint and therapy outcome. The clinical importance of these findings is discussed.

Interpersonal pathoplasticity in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.

Recent theories of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have emphasized interpersonal and personality functioning as important aspects of the disorder. We examined heterogeneity in interpersonal problems in 2 studies of individuals with GAD (n = 47 and n = 83). Interpersonal subtypes were assessed with the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 1990). Across both studies, individuals with GAD exhibited heterogeneous interpersonal problems, and cluster analyses of these patients' interpersonal characteristics yielded 4 replicable clusters, identified as intrusive, exploitable, cold, and nonassertive subtypes. Consistent with our pathoplasticity hypotheses, clusters did not differ with GAD severity, anxiety severity, or depression severity. Clusters in Study 2 differed on rates of personality disorders, including avoidant personality disorder, further providing support for the validity of interpersonal subtypes. The presence of interpersonal subtypes in GAD may have important implications for treatment planning and efficacy.

Interpersonal problems: self‐therapist agreement and therapist consensus

This study investigated patient-therapist agreement and therapist consensus of patients' interpersonal problems. The sample comprised 199 patients, who answered a questionnaire addressing interpersonal problems. At the same time, each patient was rated by two therapists on an observer version of the same questionnaire. The participants came from 10 different treatment units within the Norwegian Network of Personality-Focused Treatment Programs. Interpersonal problems were measured by a short version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C). The results of both patient-therapist agreements and therapist consensus of patients' interpersonal problems was low to moderate. The therapists perceived the patients to have somewhat higher levels of interpersonal problems than the patients reported, although the profile similarity between self-reports and observer reports was high. Some gender differences were revealed, but in terms of self-therapist agreement, no interaction with the therapists' length of clinical experience or acquaintance with the patient was found.

The Danish DAPP-BQ: Reliability, Factor Structure, and Convergence With SCID-II and IIP-C

The psychometric properties of the Danish version of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic questionnaire (DAPP-BQ) were assessed in both a clinical (N = 76) and a nonclinical sample (N = 168). Internal consistencies of all scales were adequate in both samples. The four factors labeled Emotional Dysregulation (ED), Dissocial behavior (DB), Inhibition (IH), and Compulsivity (CO) were fully replicated in the clinical sample but only partially replicated in the nonclinical sample. Congruency coefficients between samples ranged from .98 to .80. Convergent validity of the DAPP-BQ was tested by correlation analysis with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SCID-II) and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IPP-C) scores. Relationship to the SCID-II was largely as predicted and in accordance with previous research. Correlations between DAPP-BQ higher order dimensions and IPP-C were also largely as hypothesized but also called attention to important conceptual issues including the fact that the higher-order term Emotional Dysregulation may not be an adequate label for a domain of behaviors that are highly interpersonal. Overall, the results indicate a successful translation of the DAPP-BQ and the strong association with interpersonal problems is regarded as an additional support for the content validity of the model.

Therapeutic alliance mediates the relationship between interpersonal problems and depression outcome in a cohort of multiple sclerosis patients

The relationship among therapeutic alliance, psychotherapy outcomes, and interpersonal problems was examined. The present study hypothesized therapeutic alliance would mediate the relationship between interpersonal functioning and outcome among patients with multiple sclerosis entering psychotherapy for depression. Nineteen clients received 16 weeks of individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression as described by D. C. Mohr, A. C. Boudewyn, D. E. Goodkin, A. Bostrom, and L. Epstein (2001). Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh, 1961), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (IIP-C; Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 1990), and the Working Alliance Inventory-Client Form (WAI-C; Horvath & Greenberg, 1989). The IIP-C significantly predicted Week 16 BDI and the WAI-C at 4 weeks. When controlling for the WAI-C, the relationship between the IIP-C and BDI was no longer significant, supporting the mediational hypothesis.

Conceptions of Perfectionism and Interpersonal Problems

This study examined two conceptions of perfectionism in relation to interpersonal problems. Two hundred and seventy-nine undergraduate participants completed the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R) and the Dyadic Almost Perfect Scale (DAPS). The authors used empirically derived discriminant functions (APS-R) and cluster analysis (DAPS) to identify three groups for both measures: adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists and nonperfectionists. Analyses of group profiles were performed on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex (IIP-C) scales using the structural summary method for circumplex data. APS-R and DAPS groups were compared on interpersonal problems endorsement and IIP-C profile characteristics. For both measures, results supported the hypotheses that maladaptive perfectionists would exhibit elevated profiles reflecting hostile-dominant and friendly-submissive interpersonal problems, whereas the adaptive perfectionists would exhibit low profile elevation indicative of interpersonal adjustment. Overall, results supported Slaney and colleagues' (2001) model of perfectionism and provided evidence for the validity of the APS-R and DAPS.

Predictors of Change during Long-Term Analytic Group Psychotherapy

Background: All studies on patient variables as predictors of outcome are on short-term groups. Therefore, we wanted to study predictors of outcome in an observational study of 69 out-patients treated in long-term, analytic group therapy (mean = 32.5 months). Methods: Based on results from research on short-term groups, we selected 6 predictor variables representing central domains (demographics, diagnosis, initial severity of disturbance, chronicity, expectancy, and treatment duration) and explored their relationship with 5 outcome variables (Global Assessment of Functioning, Global Severity Index, Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex, global improvement, and chief complaints) by multiple regression analyses. Results: Treatment duration up to 2.5 years was a strong positive predictor. Contrary to findings from many short-term studies, the presence of personality disorder, chronicity, and high initial severity of symptoms were not associated with less favourable outcome. Furthermore, marital status was not a positive predictor, and expectancy of a better outcome was only positively related to 1 of the outcome variables. Highly tentative results from exploratory stepwise regression analyses indicated that interpersonal problems on the subscale of ‘coldness’ might also be a negative predictor in long-term therapy. Conclusions: The study indicates that predictors of outcome in long-term group therapy may be different from those found in short-term therapy.

Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Values: Reliability, Validity, and Applicability to Interpersonal Problems and Personality Disorders

Three studies describe the development, psychometric properties, and potential utility of a new self-report measure, the Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Values (CSIV). The CSIV was designed to complement other interpersonal circumplex measures that assess interpersonal behavior by efficiently assessing a comprehensive set of agentic and communal values. The eight 8-item scales of the CSIV were shown to have good internal consistency and test-retest reliability and a circumplex structure. The CSIV showed convergent and discriminant validity with measures of interpersonal traits (the Bem Sex Role Inventory; Bem, 1974), interpersonal problems (the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex; Horowitz, 2000), implicit interpersonal motives (the Thematic Apperception Test; see Atkinson, 1958), and interpersonal goals (the Interpersonal Goals Inventory; Dryer & Horowitz, 1997). Finally, the locations of the MCMI-III (Millon, 1994) personality disorder scales on the CSIV circumplex generally mirrored the locations of personality disorders on other interpersonal circumplex measures.

Differences between self- and peer ratings of interpersonal problems.

Interpersonal problems are frequently a source of distress for individuals and the focus of psychotherapeutic interventions. A self-report circumplex measure, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex (IIP-C), was modified for this investigation to acquire peer report data on interpersonal problems to help assess the validity of self-reported problems. The peer report data replicated the circumplex model of the IIP-C and when general interpersonal distress was removed (by ipsatizing), the data suggested that peers observed more domineering, vindictive, and emotionally cold types of problems than self-report (ipsatized) data. Individuals reported more other-pleasing, overly nurturant types of problems than peers observed. The findings both support the validity of the IIP-C and describe discrepancies in self- versus peer reported interpersonal problems. The results also describe differences in the general interpersonal distress factor accounted for by ipsatizing versus removing the general factor from unipsatized data. The results describe implications for clinicians and others assessing interpersonal problems.