Assessments of Interpersonal Relationships

History of Interpersonal Relationship Assessments 

        The Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis (TJTA) actually started at the JTA in 1941 when Dr. Roswell H. Johnson published this test to determine compatibilitly, personality traits, attitudes, and behavior tendencies which influence various relationships in a person's life.  35,000 couples took the analysis as a part of Johnson's research between 1941 and 1962.  Then in 1963, there were revisions made to the JTA and it was re-published as the TJTA in 1966.
        The Marital Satisfaction Inventory, Revised is a complete revision and restandardization of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory developed by Snyder in 1981.  This assessment is frequently used with couples who are experiencing relationship distress.  The revision includes a larger and more representative standardization sample, less inventory items, and a scale assessing the individual's concerns about aggression in the relationship.

Common Interpersonal Relationship Assessments 

        - Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
        - Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis (TJTA)
        - Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (MSI-R)
        - Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI)
        - Couples PreCounseling Inventory (CPCI)
        - Family Environment Scale (FES, 3rd ed.)
        - Family Assessment Measure-III (FAM-III)
        - Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale (STLS)

        - Dyadic Adjustment Scale
        - Assessments of Intimate Partner Violence
        - Assessments of Child Abuse
        - Checklist of Interpersonal Transactions (CLOIT)
        - Checklist of Psychotherapy Transactions
        - Interpersonal Compass
        - Impact Message Inventory
        - Interpersonal Adjective Scales (IAS)

        - Thomas-Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument 

     

Reliability and Validity Factors 

       The MSI-R has been considered to be a valid test because it generally shows reasonable correlations with other measures of relationship satisfaction.  In addition, there is an internal consistency coefficent and test-retest reliability coefficient in the .90-.95 range.
        Studies of the TJTA show that there is a high correlation and marked relationship, indicating high validity.  Its reliability was .83, computed by analysis of variance.

Where to Obtain and Cost 

       The MSI-R is available online at this website: <http://www.wpspublish.com/store/p/2870/marital-satisfaction-inventory-revised-msi-r>.  The entire kit costs $135.50, although various components can be purchased individually for a smaller price.

Administration and Interpretation 

        This test must be administered by a psychologist with a Master's degree in psychology or related field.  If the administrator has a bachelors in the related field listed above, they must also be licensed or certified from an agency or organization that requires training and experience in assessment. It is a self-report assessment that takes approximately 20-25 minutes.  Concerning interpretation, there is computer scoring software available (Scoring/Interpretation CD).

Article 

        This article studies the validity of the MSI-R test for non-traditional couples using 31 gay male couples and 28 lesbian couples in comparison to 36 cohabiting heterosexual couples.  Results showed that the scales' internal consistency and factor structure supported the construct validity of this assessment with non-traditional couples.  Cohabiting opposite-gender and same-gender couples were more alike than different, and were more similar to non-distressed samples of married heterosexual couples from the general community than to couples in therapy.  


Means-Christensen, A., Snyder, D. K., & Negy, C. (2003). Assessing nontraditional couples: Validity of the marital satisfaction inventory--revised with gay, lesbian, and cohabiting heterosexual couples. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(1), 69-83. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.etsu.edu:3443/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/220968947?accountid=10771

Image 

MSI-R

References 

Hays, D. G. (2013). Assessment in counseling: A guide to the use of psychological assessment procedures (5th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Taylor, R. M. & Morrison, L. P. (2014). About the T-JTA. Psychological Publications, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.tjta.com/abouttjta.htm 

Watkins, A. (2014). Taylor-Johnson temperament analysis (T-JTA). Retrieved from http://prezi.com/wlpr8ai9c1m5/taylor-johnson-temperament-analysis-t-jta/

WPS: Unlocking Potential. (2014). Marital satisfaction inventory, revised (MSI-R). Retreived from http://www.wpspublish.com/store/p/2870/marital-satisfaction-inventory-revised-msi-r