Social Problem-Solving Inventory Research Articles

Evaluating the Structural Validity of Measures of Hierarchical Models: An Illustrative Example Using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory

The usefulness of examining the structural validity of scores on multidimensional measures using nested hierarchical model comparisons was evaluated in two studies using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI). In Study 1, the authors systematically explored the factor structure of the measure using hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis, contrasting the results with past research using more traditional approaches. In Study 2, the authors developed and validated a shorter version of the SPSI based on the most promising items identified in the first study. Results from Study 2, using an independent sample, confirmed the stability of the structure and offered construct-related validity evidence for the new scales. Taken together, the results suggest that the modest fit of the SPSI measurement model reported in past research is principally the result of the inclusion of psychometrically poor items rather than a problem with the conceptual model itself. Implications are discussed as related to the organization of social problem-solving dimensions and strategies for evaluating structural validity.

An investigation of the validity of the SPSI and SPSI-R in differentiating high-suicidal from depressed, low-suicidal college students

The present study examined the validity of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI) and SPSI—Revised in differentiating 65 high-suicidal from 63 depressed, low-suicidal college students. Results from multivariate analyses indicated overall differences in problem-solving between these two groups as measured by the SPSI but not by the SPSI-R. Further examination of these differences revealed the high-suicidal group was different in problem-solving orientation, rather than problem-solving skills, compared to the depressed, low-suicidal group. However, when depression was statistically controlled in hierarchical regression analyses, none of the problem-solving measures predicted group membership. The superiority of the SPSI to the SPSI-R in differentiating these two groups appears to be accounted for by the elimination of 28 items in the revised version, many of which measure orientation to problem-solving. Also explored was the possibility that objective measures of problem-solving provide a better prediction of adjustment than do self-report measures.

A factor-analytic study of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory: An integration of theory and data

Restricted (confirmatory) and unrestricted (exploratory) factor analyses were used to investigate the factor structure of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI; D'Zurilla & Nezu, 1990). The SPSI is based on a theoretical model consisting of two general components (problem orientation and problem-solving skills) which are further divided into seven primary subcomponents (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of problem orientation and four specific problem-solving skills). Thus, both a two-factor model and a hierarchical model with seven first-order factors and two second-order factors were tested. The results provided only modest support for the two-factor model, and the hierarchical model failed to show substantial improvement over this model. Further analyses using exploratory as well as confirmatory methods found that an alternative five-factor model was best for the SPSI in the sense of goodness of fit, parsimony, and cross-validation. The implications of these results for social problem-solving theory and assessment are discussed.

Relations between problem orientation and optimism, pessimism, and trait affectivity: A construct validation study

This study investigated the construct validity of the Positive and Negative Problem Orientation scales of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory—Revised (SPSI-R) by examining the relations between these scales and measures of optimism, pessimism, and trait affectivity. Consistent with expectations based on social problem-solving theory, positive problem orientation was found to have a relatively large amount of variance in common with optimism and positive affectivity, and negative problem orientation was found to share a large amount of variance with pessimism and negative affectivity, but not enough to be considered redundant in either case. Positive problem orientation was found to add significant incremental validity to the prediction of adaptive problem-engagement coping even after partialing out the variance associated with optimism and positive affectivity. In addition, negative problem orientation was found to add unique variance to the prediction of psychological distress even after controlling for pessimism and negative affectivity.

The relations between social problem solving and coping

This study examined the convergent and divergent relations between the five problem-solving dimensions measured by the Social Problem-Solving Inventory—Revised (positive problem orientation, negative problem orientation, rational problem solving, impusivity/carelessness style, and avoidance style; D'Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 1995) and the automatic/experiential coping activities assessed by the Constructive Thinking Inventory (Epstein & Meier, 1989), as well as the functional coping strategies assessed by the Coping Strategies Inventory (Tobin, Holroyd, Reynolds, & Wigal, 1989). As predicted, experiential activities were found to be mostly independent of rational problem solving, but more highly and consistently associated with positive and negative problem orientation, impulsivity/carelessness style, and avoidance style. Support was also found for the hypotheses that positive problem orientation and rational problem solving would be associated with the use of adaptive problem-engagement coping strategies, whereas the three dysfunctional problem-solving dimensions would be related to the use of disengagement (avoidant) coping strategies. The hypothesis that problem-solving ability would also be related to the use of adaptive emotion-focused coping was not supported. Implications for theory, research, and therapy are discussed.

Social Problem-Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A): Development and preliminary Psychometric Evaluation

This article describes a multiphase developmental process and psychometric evaluation of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A). The SPSI-A consists of the following three scales: Automatic Process, Problem Orientation, and Problem-Solving Skills. The three subscales of the Problem Orientation Scale include Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. The four subscales of the Problem-Solving Skills scale consist of Problem Identification, Alternative Generation, Consequence Prediction, and Implementation/Evaluation/Reorganization. Preliminary internal consistency, stability, content, construct, and criterion validity data are presented for freshmen and sophomore high school students. Collectively, the data provide evidence that the SPSI-A is a promising measure of adolescent problem-solving skills and motivation.

A Factor Analysis of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory using Polychoric Correlations 1The participation of Albert Maydeu-Olivares in this research was supported by a Fulbright-La Caixa scholarship. Parts of this paper were performed by the first author as part of his doctoral dissertion at the University of Barcelona, directed by Juana Gómez Benito.

The Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI; D'Zurilla & Nezu, 1990 ) is a theory-driven instrument that was designed to measure two major hypothesized components of the social problem-solving process: (1) problem orientation and (2) problem-solving proper. In the present study, factor analyses using polychoric correlations were performed on the total item pool of the SPSI and its two major scales and seven subscales to examine the construct validity of the theoretical model underlying this inventory. The results indicate that the SPSI is actually measuring two different kinds of problem orientation (positive and negative) and three different problem-solving styles (a rational/systematic problem-solving style, an impulsive/careless style, and an avoidant style).

Worry and problem solving: Evidence of a specific relationship

Recent studies suggest that worry is related to deficient problem-solving ability. This paper presents the relationship between worry and problem solving. Worry was measured with the Worry Domains Questionnaire (Tallis, Eysenck, & Mathews, 1992) and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (Meyer, Miller, Metzger, & Borkovec, 1990); problem solving was assessed with the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (D'Zurilla & Nezu, 1990) and the Problem-Solving Inventory (Heppner & Petersen, 1982); and mood state was evaluated with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck, Epstein, Brown, & Steer, 1988) and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). Subjects were 122 university students. The hypotheses were the following: (1) Worry would be negatively related to problem solving; and (2) cognitive and affective factors would play a more important role than behavioral deficits in limiting problem-solving ability. As both problem-solving scales are multidimensional, regression analyses predicted worry scores from the problem-solving scales. Results show that subscales describing theoretically sound problem-solving behaviors accounted for trivial or no variance in worry scores. On the other hand, even when mood state had been partialed out by hierarchical regression, subscales describing reactions to problematic situations predicted worry scores. Therefore, both hypotheses were confirmed. These results suggest that worry is related to problem orientation (i.e., immediate cognitive-behavioral-affective reactions to problematic situations) but not to problem-solving skills (i.e., articulating goals, generating solutions, making decisions, and implementing and verifying solutions). Clinical implications are discussed.

The relation between social problem-solving ability and subsequent level of academic competence in college students

A prospective design was used to examine the relations between problem-solving scores derived from the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI) and later academic performance in college students, while controlling for the level of academic aptitude. The SPSI is a new, multidimensional, self-report measure of social problem-solving ability that provides for a separate assessment of a person's “problem orientation” (i.e., generalized cognitive—emotional—behavioral response set) and his or her “problem-solving skills” (i.e., problem definition and formulation, generation of alternative solutions, decision making, solution implementation and verification). The results showed that the skills measure, but not the orientation measure, significantly predicted cumulative grade point average at the end of the academic year, even after controlling for academic aptitude. The results were interpreted as contributing to the validity of the SPSI and are discussed in relation to other predictors of academic competence.

Development and preliminary evaluation of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory.

The Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI) is a 70-item, multidimensional, self-report measure of social problem-solving ability that is based on the prescriptive model developed previously by D'Zurilla and his associates. From samples of undergraduate college students and middle-aged community residents, preliminary data concerning the reliability and validity of the SPSI are presented

Development and preliminary evaluation of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory.

Development and preliminary evaluation of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory.