Validity of the Rorschach Mutuality of Autonomy Scale: A Replication Using Excerpted Responses

Abstract

This study examines the use of excerpted Rorschach responses for rating object relations. This assessment of object relations focuses on a dimension defined as Mutuality of Autonomy. A Rorschach Scale for Mutuality of autonomy is presented. Its application to excerpted Rorschach data is described. Raters did not apply the Mutuality of Autonomy Scale to the entire protocol as had been done previously (Urist, 1977). Instead, in an attempt to argue that Rorschach ratings in fact reflected Mutuality of Autonomy and not extraneous factors, ratings were based exclusively on excerpted responses. Reliability for the excerpting was at a high level of agreement, and the Rorschach Mutuality of Autonomy Scores based on these excerpts correlated significantly with independent clinical ratings of Mutuality of Autonomy.

The Urist Rorschach Mutuality of Autonomy Scale as an indicator of psychopathology

“…Twenty of the cases rated were done in an excerpted, rather than a whole-protocol, fashion. The Pearson correlation for these cases was .79, which confirms Urist and Shill's (1982) contention that the MAS produces comparable scores regardless of the method of scoring employed. In sum, the Urist MAS is a reliable scale, at least in the hands of investigators with clinical experience.…”

“…Previous research with the Urist Mutuality of Autonomy Scale (Urist, 1977;Urist & Shill, 1982) has indicated acceptable reliability for the scale, but it was felt important in this study to re-examine reliability because this was the first independent group of researchers who had used the MAS. The earlier work suggested that scores averaged over a protocol's responses served as well to indicate the overall mutuality dimension as other possible ways of scoring, such as using the highest score or the lowest score.…”

“…For the clinician who wishes even now to incorporate use of the mutuality dimension into his/her case assessments, the general meaning of the scale points and Urist's (Urist, 1977;Urist & Shill, 1982) theoretical explanation of their rationale can be an excellent guide. Looking back over many of the cases in the present study, we have hypothesized tentatively that an average score of 4.00 or higher (anaclitic-dependent interactions, or other types of interactions closer to the envelopment-incorporation level) strongly suggests the presence of serious relationship difficulties and concomitant serious disorder.…”

Autonomy disturbances in subtypes of anorexia nervosa.

“…The intraclass correlation of item ratings between the two raters was .98. Past research has shown the MAS's ability to predict subsequent treatment status of adolescents (Urist & Shill, 1982) and social adjustment in children (Ryan, Avery, & Grolnick, 1985)• Moos (1974) designed the FES as part of a more general attempt to assess social climates. The 90-item true-false scale yields 10 subscale scores, with internal consistency ratings between .64 and .79, item-subscale correlations between .45 and • 58, and test-retest reliability between.73 and.86.…”

Rorschach Comprehensive System Data for a Sample of 37 Nonpatient/Nondelinquent Adolescents From the United States

“…Additionally, grade point averages were obtained from the sample as evidence that their general overall functioning was average or above. Previous studies demonstrate a significant correlation between interpersonal functioning and achievement in school (Fritsch & Holmstrom, 1990;Ryan, Avery, & Grolnick, 1985;Spear & Sugarman, 1984;Urist, 1977;Urist & Shill, 1982). A review of the research literature indicated that no additional nonpatient, adolescent Comprehensive System (CS) studies have been published since this study was undertaken.…”