Developing "The values of my own life" test

1358

Abstract

The development of psycho-diagnostic tool to measure the value of minors’ own life is described. The test may be used in various fields of applied psychology. In particular, we intend to use this test to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs aimed at preventing anti-social and suicidal behavior. The study is based on theoretical and practical studies in the field of meaning of life, formal theory of mental processes and the AlNikOr computer system developed by A.N. Orekhov, practical experience with minors working on the program “My theme - my life” and the results of 232 interviews of adolescents. On the basis of the data obtained we formed 36 primary scales and hypothesized six secondary scales reflecting the combined value of minors’ own lives. Pilot testing was conducted, which involved adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, of which 43 boys and 61 girls. Primary factor analysis of the results allowed us to construct four additional secondary scales of the test. Internal validity (synchronous reliability) of the test proved to be quite high (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.994 at a significance level of p = 0,002).

General Information

Keywords: anti-social and suicidal behavior, the value of his own life, his own life values diagnostics, preventive work with minors, the test value of his own life, the implicit approach mathematize theory of mental processes, the computer system AlNikOr

Journal rubric: Tools

For citation: Orekhov А.N., Palamonov I.Y. Developing "The values of my own life" test. Eksperimental'naâ psihologiâ = Experimental Psychology (Russia), 2014. Vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 123–133. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Anderson N.B. Human Potential: Emotional Longevity. ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, June 2005. Available at: http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/EUArticle.cfm?ItemNumber=11459 (Accessed 14.09.2014)
  2. Cohen P., Cohen J. Life Values and Adolescent Mental Health N.J.: Psychology Press, 1995. 200 p.
  3. Edwards M.J. The Dimensionality and Construct Valid Measurement of Life Meaning. A thesis submitted to the Department of Psychology in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Queen's University Kingston, Ontario, Canada, August, 2007. 227 p.
  4. Hjelle L., Ziegler D. Personality Theories: Basic Assumptions, Research, and Applications, 3th ed., Mcgraw-Hill College, 1992. 402 p. (Russ. ed.: Kh'ell L.A., Zigler D.Dzh. Teorii lichnosti SPb: Piter Publ., 2013. 608 p.)
  5. Kline P. A Handbook of Test Construction: Introduction to Psychometric Design. Routledge Kegan & Paul, 1967. 250 p. (Russ. ed.: Klain P. Spravochnoe rukovodstvo po konstruirovaniyu testov: vvedenie v psikhometricheskoe proektirovanie. per. s angl; pod red. L.F. Burlachuka Kiev: PAN Ltd. Publ., 1994. 288 p.). (In Russ.)
  6. Mascaro N. Longitudinal analysis of the relationship of existential meaning with depression and hope. A Dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy. Louisiana State University, August 2006. 69 p.
  7. Orekhov A.N. Modelirovanie psikhicheskikh i sotsial'no-psikhologicheskikh protsessov: nomoteticheskii podkhod. Diss. dokt. psikhol. nauk. [Modeling mental and socio-psychological processes: Nomothetic. Dr. Sci. (Psychology) thesis]. Moscow, 2006. 424 p. (In Russ.).
  8. Orekhov A.N., Tetik L.V. Diagnostirovanie tsennostnykh orientatsii: nomoteticheskii podkhod. [Diagnosing value orientations: Nomothetic]. Vestnik universiteta (Gosudarstvennyi universitet upravleniya) [Bulletin of University (State University of Management)], 2007, no. 10, pp. 93-96. (In Russ.).
  9. Palamonov I.Yu. O vklyuchenii podrostkov v profilakticheskuyu rabotu po resotsializatsii sverstnikov posredstvom interneta [On the inclusion of adolescents in preventive work on resocialization peers via the Internet]. Vospitanie shkol'nikov. [Educating students]. 2013b. no. 10. pp. 41-46. (In Russ.).
  10. Palamonov I.Yu. Profilaktika asotsial'nogo povedeniya podrostkov [Preventing antisocial behavior in adolescents]. Vospitanie shkol'nikov. [Educating students], 2013a, no. 2, pp. 25-31. (In Russ.).
  11. Palamonov I.Yu. Programma «Moya tema – moya zhizn'». Opyt provedeniya distantsionnykh diskussionnykh profilakticheskikh meropriyatii. ["My theme - my life." The experience of the remote discussion of preventive measures]. Psikhologicheskaya pomoshch' sotsial'no nezashchishchennym litsam s ispol'zovaniem distantsionnykh tekhnologii – materialy mezhvedomstvennoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii, (Moskva, 24-25 fevralya 2011 g.) [Psychological assistance to vulnerable persons using remote technologies - materials of interdepartmental scientific and practical conference, (Moscow, February 24-25, 2011)] Moscow: MGPPU. 2011. pp. 24-25. (In Russ.).
  12. Petty R.E., Cacioppo J.T. Communication and Persuasion: Central and Peripheral Routes to Attitude Change (Springer Series in Social Psychology) N.Y.: Springer, 1986. 262 p.
  13. Reker G.T. Chamberlain K. Theoretical perspective, dimensions, and measurement of existential meaning. Existential Meaning: Optimizing Human Development Across the Life Span. CA, Thousand Oaks, Sage. 2000. P. 39-55.
  14. Schneider D.J., Blankmeyer B. L. Prototype salience and implicit personality theories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1983, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 712-722.
  15. Schneider D.J., Hastorf A.H., Ellsworth P.C. Person perception N.Y.: Random House, 1979. 321 p.
  16. Smythe W.E. Exploring Existential Meaning: Optimizing Human Development across the Life Span. Canadian Psychology, 2001, vol. 42, no. 4. Available at: http://www.questia.com/read/1P3-98567042. (Accessed 14.09.2014)
  17. The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications (Personality and Clinical Psychology). P. T. P. Wong (ed.). L., Routledge, 2012. 768 p.
  18. Wong P.T.P. Towards a Dual-System Model of What Makes Life Worth Living. DrPaulWong.com, 2013. Available at: http://www.drpaulwong.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=140:towards-a-dual-system-model-of-what-makes-life-worth-living&catid=36:articles&Itemid=66. (Accessed 16.12.2013)

Information About the Authors

Аlexander N. Orekhov, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Department of Psychology of Personality and Differential Psychology, Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: alexandernorekhov@yandex.ru

Igor Y. Palamonov, PhD in Psychology, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: ipalamonov@gmail.com

Metrics

Views

Total: 5418
Previous month: 8
Current month: 10

Downloads

Total: 1358
Previous month: 5
Current month: 2