RESUMO
Development of the Interpersonal Problem Solving Assessment Technique (IPSAT), College form, is described. Guided by Rotter's Social Learning Theory, problem-solving, and assertiveness research, a semi-structured free response format was designed to assess components of interpersonal effectiveness, The instrument yields patterns of self-reported behaviors in six classes of problematic social situations. A detailed manual enabled reliable scoring of the following response categories: Effectiveness, avoidance, appropriateness, dependency and solution productivity. Scores were not materially affected by sex, verbal ability, or social desirability response sets. Correlations with the College Self-Expression Scale, the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and the Lanyon Psychological Screening Inventory provided initial evidence of validity. Comparison of mean IPSAT scores of 23 psychotherapy clients with those of 78 normative subjects showed that clients report less interpersonal effectiveness and more avoidance than controls. Implications for utility of the IPSAT are discussed.
RESUMO
The role of formal assessment in the practice of sex therapy with couples is discussed. A case is made for the use of behaviorally oriented paper-and-pencil tests of the self-report variety, in clinical settings, at two points in time: prior to any therapist-client contact and following completion of therapy. Such procedures are both efficient and effective, yielding information relevant to diagnosis, treatment planning, and development of clinical skills. Assessment procedures used routinely at the Stony Brook Sex Therapy Center are described and illustrated using sample cases. The authors suggest that behavioral assessment approaches have considerable clinical potential which has yet to be fully realized.
