The creation and validation of the differentiation of self questionnaire

Jacobs, Greg G. This study reports the creation and validation of The Differentiation of Self Questionnaire (DSQ), a measure of Bowen’s construct Differentiation of Self (DoS), through three-studies. In Study One, Creation the DSQ is created with nine-items selected for inclusion, three-items per subscale, willingness to take an “I” position, emotional reactivity, and emotional cutoff, determined by the ranking of items by experts in Bowen Theory (BT) on their face validity, in capturing DoS and the items respective subscale, from a 27-item bank, via SurveyMonkey. Items were paired to a Likert (1932) scale. In Study Two, Investigating Correlations, the respondents DSQ and the statistically valid Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised (DSI-R) scores were collected via SurveyMonkey and compared using Pearson’s r. In Study Three, Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) of the DSQ using Item Response Theory (IRT), a CFA of participant’s responses to the nine-items (lowered to eight-items), in the DSQ, using IRT was undertaken. Each of the DSQ items contributed varying levels of information to their subscale, and total score, supporting content validity. Moderate to strong positive correlations (.31-.61) between the DSQ and the DSI-R support, content and construct validity as well as reliability, with the exception of the underperforming ER subscale. It is impossible to draw firm conclusions from this pilot data set, regarding the ER subscale. Inconclusive validation efforts of the ER subscale probably stem from larger standard errors resulting from small sample size (n = 110). Poor reliability, expressed in low alpha may be a result of the small, three-item subscale.

Grantor dc:publisher

Alverno College

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Jacobs, Greg G.

• Differentiation (Developmental psychology)
• Self
• System theory--Psychological aspects

Statement dc:rights

• These materials may be used by individuals and libraries for personal use, research, teaching (including distribution to classes), or for any fair use as defined by U.S. Copyright Law.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://alverno.omeka.net/items/show/894

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:alverno.omeka.net:894