A STUDY OF THE SELF-CONCEPT
PHENOMENON OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
COUNSELORS BY USE OF
SELF-DESCRIPTIVE SCALES

Thesis {or flu Degree of Ed. D.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Robert S. Brown
1963

THESIS

IJBRARY

Michigan State
University

 

This is to certify that the
thesis entitled
A STUDY OF THE SELF-CONCEPT PHENOMENON
OF SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS
BY USE OF SELF-DESCRIPTIVE SCALES

presented by

Robert S . Brown

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Ed.D. Counseling

degree in

WW7W

Major p16! essor

Date November 8, 1963

 

0-169

ABSTRACT

A STUDY OF THE SELF-CONCEPT PHENOMENON
OF SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS
BY USE OF SELF-DESCRIPTIVE SCALES

by Robert S. Brown

The Problem

 

The study was concerned with investigating basic questions
regarding self-descriptive characteristics of secondary school
counselors in the state of Michigan. The study was designed to
investigate these questions as they relate to the phenomenon known
as self-concept.

The following null hypotheses were tested:

1. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of self and his projected perception
of his counseling peers’ self-percept.

2. There is no Significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance
of his counseling peers.

3. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected
evaluation of his peers’ ideal self.

4. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation of
his peers’ self-discrepancy.

Robert S . Brown

5. (a) There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self—perception and the age of the
counselor.

(b) There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the sex of the
counselor.

(c) There is no significant relationship between the counse—
lor’s self-perception and the education of the counselor.

6. There is no significant relationship between the choice
of verbs implying feeling used in the Sentence Comple-
tion Test and the self-concept measures of the Index of
Adjustment and Values.

 

7. There is no significant relationship between the choice
of verbs implying action used in the Sentence Completion
Test and the self-concept measures of the Bills Index of
Adjustment and Values.

 

 

The Methodology

 

The Index of Adjustment and Values, Adult Form, and the

 

Sentence Completion Test, Personnel Analysts, Boston, Massachu-

 

setts, were the two criterion instruments employed. Each instru-
ment was administered to sixty—four randomly selected secondary
school counselors employed in full and part—time counseling in
the state of Michigan.

The interrelationships involving the eight IAV measures of
self were carried out through the use of the Pearson product-
moment correlation coefficient. The relationships between certain

2

Robert S . Brown

language characteristics used on the Sentence Completion Test

 

and four measures of self—perception on the IAV were also car-
ried out through the use of the product-moment method. Rank
distribution tables were employed to ascertain any observable
trends in the relationships between these measures of self and
the age, sex, and education of the counselor. The .05 level of

significance was used to accept or reject hypotheses.

Results

1. There was a significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of himself and his projected percep-
tion of himself and his projected perceptions of his
counseling peers’ self-concept.

2. There was a significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance
of his counseling peers.

3. There was a Significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected
evaluation of his peers’ ideal self.

4. There was a significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation of
his peers’ self-discrepancy.

5. (a) There was no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perceptions and the age of the
counselor.

(b) There was no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perceptions and the sex of the
counselor.

Robert S. Brown

(c) There were no significant relationships between the
counselor’s self-perceptions and the educational
level of the counselor.

. There was no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s choice of verbs implying feeling used on the
Sentence Completion Test and self-concept measures

of the IAV.

 

. There was no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s choice of verbs implying action used on the
Sentence Completion Test and self-concept measures

of the IAV. V

 

A STUDY OF THE SELF-CONCEPT PHENOMENON OF
SECONDARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS BY USE

OF SE LF-DE SCRIPTIVE SCALE S

By
1‘ ‘

Robert S? l3rown

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

College of Education
Guidance and Personnel Services

1963

Robert S. Brown
Candidate for the Degree of
Doctor of Education

Final Examination: November 8, 1963, College of Education.

Thesis: A Study of the Self-concept Phenomenon of Secondary
School Counselors.

Outline of Studies:

Major subject: Guidance and Personnel Services.
Minor subject: School Administration.
Cognate area: Psychology.

Biographical Items:
Born: March 2, 1925; St. Joseph, Michigan.

Undergraduate studies: Western Michigan University,
1946-1950, A.B. degree, February, 1950.

Graduate studies: The University of Michigan, 1950-1952,
M.A. degree, August, 1952. Michigan State Univer-
sity, 1959-1963, Ed.D. degree, December, 1963.

Experience: Teacher, Burton Junior High School, Grand
Rapids, Michigan, 1950-1954. Teacher, Central
High School, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1954-1956.
Director of Pupil Personnel, Union High School,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1956-1960. Coordinator,
Holland Youth DeveIOpment Project, and instructor
of psychology, HOpe College, Holland, Michigan,
1960-1962. Staff member, Counseling Center, and
instructor of psychology, HOpe College, Holland,
Michigan, 1962-1963. Lecturer in educational and
deveIOpmental psychology for Michigan State Uni-
versity, 1959 to present.

ii

Professional memberships:
American Personnel and Guidance Association
American College Personnel Association
Michigan Psychological Association
Michigan Counselors Association
Society for Research in Child DeveIOpment
Christian Association of Psychological Studies

iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The writer is deeply indebted to a number of people who
have aided in the deveIOpment and execution of this thesis. Sin—
cere gratitude and acknowledgment are extended to the following:

To Dr. Walter F. Johnson, chairman of the doctoral com-
mittee, who generously contributed his counsel and
guidance throughout the entire study.

To the other members of the doctoral committee: Drs.
Bill L. Kell, Louise M. Sause, and James W.
Costar for their constructive criticisms and
meaningful suggestions.

To Dr. Douglas D. Blocksma for his aid and encourage-
ment in the planning of the study.

To the public school counselors who contributed their
time and efforts in formulating the data involved
in the study.

To Drs. Robert F. DeHaan and Lars I. Granberg for

their editorial assistance.

iv

To Mr. William Butler, editor and publisher of the Holland

Evening Sentinel, for the financial grant which

 

aided in the preparation of this thesis.
To the writer’s wife and family, without whose support

this study would not have been possible.

TABLE OF CON TENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .........................
LIST OF TABLES ...........................
LIST OF FIGURES ...........................
LIST OF APPENDIXES ........................
CHAPTER

I. THE PROBLEM .......................

Statement of the Problem ..............
Justification for the Study ..............
Hypotheses ........................
Assumptions ........................
Limitations and Scope .................
Definition of Terms ...................
Organization of Thesis ................

II. THEORY ............................

Measurements of Self-Concept ...........
Discrepancy between the Perceived

Self and the Ideal Self ..............
Self-Concept and the Real Self ..........
Self-Acceptance and Acceptance of

Others ..........................
Change in Self-Concept ................
Summary ..........................

III. REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH .........

vi

X

xi

ooaacnwaswm

11

13
16

19
21
24

26

 

CH:

CHAPTER

Studies Concering the Bills Index

 

of Adjustment and Values ..........

 

Content validity ..................
Concurrent validity ................
Construct validity .................

Studies Concerning the Sentence

Completion Test ..................

 

IV. METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE ........
Description of the Sample .............
Classification of counselors ..........

High schools in the sample ..........

Selection of the sample .............

Evaluating Instruments ...............

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values

 

The Sentence Completion Test ........

 

Analysis Procedures .................

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values

 

The Sentence Completion Test ........

 

Summary .........................

V. AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIPS
OF THE COUNSELOR’S PERCEPTIONS

OF HIS SE LF-CONCEPT .............

Tests of counselor’s self-description

vii

Page

26
27
27
30
36
42
42
43
43
44
44

44
47

52

52
52

53

54
55

55

CHAPTER Page

Tests of certain counselor language
characteristics used on the Sen-

 

tence Completion Test . ........... 60

Summary .......................... 63

VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............ 65
The Problem ....................... 65

The Findings ...................... . 69

Results of the within-group compari-

sons between measures of self and

the projected evaluation of counsel-

ing peer ...................... 69
Results of within-group comparisons

between certain measures of self

and age, sex, and education ......... 70
Results of within-group comparisons

between certain language charac-

teristics used on the Sentence

Completion Test and measures of

 

self .......................... 7 2
Conclusions ........................ 7 2
Implications ........................ 74

viii

TABLE

LIST OF TABLE S

Composition of self-supporting data of
the sample ..... . ..................

A summary of the results of the product-
moment correlation test for relation-
ship between the counselor’s measure
of self and the projected evaluation of
his counseling peers on the Index of
Adjustment and Values

 

The distribution of the number of coun-
selors by educational level scoring
above the mean score of the group on
the four self-measures of the Index of
Adjustment and Values

 

A summary of the product-moment corre-
lation tests for relationships between
the number of “being” and “doing”
verbs used on the Sentence Completion
Test and the self-measures of the
Index of Adjustment and Values .........

 

 

Page

45

56

61

63

LIST OF FIGURE S

FIGURE Page

1. Male and female counselors’ self and
others mean discrepancy scores on
the Index of Adjustment and Values ........ 58

 

2. Male and female counselors’ mean “self”
and “others” scores on the Index of
Adjustment and Values ................. 59

 

LIST OF APPENDIXE S

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX Page
A. Letter Questionnaire ................. 85
B. Index of Adjustment Values and
Sentence Completion Test ........... 87
C. Distribution of Index of Adjustment
and Values Data .................. 98
D. Graphs of Male and Female Age
and Index of Adjustment Values
Score Data ..................... 109

E. Figure of Comparative POpulations
Scores and Index of Adjustment
Values Data ..................... 112

 

 

xi

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

There is a strong tendency to regard counselors as per-
sons of whom consistent and professionally infallible behavior may
always be expected. Counselors are human beings, and their
procedures and techniques in working with individuals may often
go awry because of the human factors in the relationship. Dr.
Ija N. Korner, in an article on counselor involvement, points out
that:

Any activity by the counselor structures the client’s percep-
tions and, therefore, to some extent is directive and repre-
sents involvement on the counselor’s part in the decisions
or choices the counselee makes. The client or counselee
perceives the counselor as a person, someone whose utter-
ances carry weight . . . sometimes even the pain of insight.
Because of this the counselor must not perceive himself as
an abstraction. During the interview, the counselor is part
of a social situation involving emotional interaction; conse-
quently, he affects the counselee in a way that is character-
istic of the counselor’s own personality [1].

Since theory is increasingly the basis of research, it
{Would seem feasible to expand the concern of counselors and

Counselor educators as to the relationship between what kind of

self-concept a counselor has and how firm or certain he is of

his own identity. C. Gilbert Wrenn (2) and others have pointed

out that the counselor as a person is the most important single

factor in counseling.

Statement of the Problem

 

There are a number of questions related to the concepts

of self held by the individual. The present study will investigate

the following questions as they relate to the secondary school

counselor’s self-concept:

1.

2.

How does the counselor perceive himself?

In the light of the variability within and between indi-
viduals, how stable is his self-image?

What relationships exist between the counselor’s per—
ception of himself and his perception of his counseling
peers?

. What relationships exist between measurements of self-

concept and the age, sex, and education of the coun-
selor?

What relationships exist between the language charac-
teristics used by counselors and measures of self-
concept?

This study, then, is designed to investigate the above

questions as they relate to the phenomenon which is known as

self-concept, with a randomly selected sample of sixty-four second—

ary school counselors in the state of Michigan.
Justification for the Study

The present study can be justified in a number of ways.
The professional preparation of counselors is complex, subtle, and
changing. Before training or retraining can occur in areas of
conceptual and attitudinal growth of counselors, more must be
known about the counselor as a person. The exploding trends
in the numbers of high school counseling and guidance workers
places added responsibility upon the professional preparation of

these personnel. The results of a study such as this should help

clarify the image of secondary school counselors, in service, as
they report how they see themselves. The study should have im-
plications for the development of further research of the coun-
selor as technique. Experts in the field support the need for
further research in the area of counselor personality. Finally,

because research in this field has not met the problems of as-

 

sessing the self-concept of secondary school counselors in the
315$, this study may provide leads for the professional training

of students selecting this vocation.

Hypotheses

 

The following null hypotheses will be tested.

Hypotheses concerning counselor self-description:

1.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of self and his projected perception
of his counseling peers’ self-percept.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance
of his counseling peers.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected
evaluation of his peers’ ideal self.

. There is no significant relationship between the coun—

selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation of
his peers’ self-discrepancy.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s self-perception and the age, sex, and education
of the counselor.

Hypotheses concerning certain language characteristics of the

S entence Completion Test:

6.

There is no significant relationship between the choice
of verbs implying feeling used in the Sentence Comple-
tion Test and the self-concept measures of the Index of
Adjustment and Values.

 

There is no significant relationship between the choice
of verbs implying action used in the Sentence Completion
Test and the self-concept measures of the Bills Index of
Adjustment and Values.

 

 

Assumptions

 

In the present study it is assumed:

1. That the self-concept as a phenomenon is sufficiently
defined as a part of the personality make-up of the
individual that it can be investigated.

2. That the self-concept is a phenomenon that can be
measured.

3. That the concept of self held by counselors has a sig-
nificant influence upon the counselor-client relationship.

4. That a counselor’s behavior is influenced by his self-
concept, and he develops and behaves to maintain this.

5. That the evolution of self-awareness is essentially a
process of differentiation.

6. That the awareness of self is experienced as a con-
comitant of the awareness of others.

Limitations and Scope

 

Any study of this type has basic limitations. The major
limitations of the study are presented below.

The Likert-Type rating method used on the Bills Index of

 

Mment and Values has inherent limitations. Problems of

 

coIntriunication and accurate reporting are recognized. The as-
sumPtion that all items hold equal importance in calculating the
final score is a limitation of this type of instrument. The sum-

mation process involved tends to obliterate the uniqueness of the

individual items. Furthermore, subjects may tend to rate con-
sistently in the direction of the middle or extremes as a carry-
over effect.

There is the difficulty of qualifying a score objectively
on the Sentence Completion Test. A counselor’s own response
on the IAV and on the Sentence Completion Test is subject to
deficiencies in reporting his experiences accurately.

The possibility exists of sampling error because of the
small population and the random—sampling techniques applied. A
description of the nature of the limitations of the sample is dis-
cussed in Chapter IV.

The study is limited to secondary school counselors em-
Ployed in full- or part-time counseling and guidance work in the
state of Michigan. The sample population was selected from the

Counselor Directory, published by the Guidance Services Division

 

0f the Department of Public Instruction for the State of Michigan

(1961).

Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarification, certain terms should be

defined. The following definitions will aid in understanding the

preSent study:

1. A secondary school counselor is defined as a person

involved in counseling part or full time within the public school

system of the state of Michigan.
2. The self described in this study is differentiated from
the physiological organism. The self is something which has a

development which arises in the process of social experiences

and activities.

3. The self-concept in this study is defined as those per-

 

ceptions about self which seem most vital and important to the
individual himself. These perceptions may be seen as highly

differentiated persistent aspects of one’s self.

4. The self-acceptance term used in this study is defined

 

as the extent to which an individual accepts those perceptions

Which he describes as being himself.

5. The concept of ideal self in this study is defined as

the individual’s perception of himself as he wishes to be.
6. The measurements of the above areas and the discrep-
aUCies between them will be designated by the Bills Index of Ad-

mnt and Values, Adult Form, 1950.

7. State-of-being verbs described in this study are de-

 

fined as verb responses made to sentence stems reflecting a state

or feeling.

8. Doing verbs described in this study are defined as

 

verb responses made to sentence stems reflecting action.

9. The Bills Index of Adjustment and Values (Adult Form)
will be identified as the IAV throughout this study.
10. The Sentence Completion Test (Personnel Analysts)

will be identified as the SCT throughout this study.
Organization of Thesis

The thesis is organized according to the following plan:
Chapter I includes a statement of the problem and a delineation
of the study. Chapter II contains the theoretical orientation em-
ployed in the study. Chapter III consists of a review of the re-
lated literature. In Chapter IV the methodology and procedure
involved in the study are described. Chapter V is devoted to
the analysis of the data. A summary of the Bills Index of Ad-
Ment and Values data and the hypotheses regarding counsel-
OPS’ self-descriptions will be found in Chapter V. The sentence-
Cornpletion data employed and the hypotheses concerning the lan-
guage characteristics of the counselors will also be discussed

'1“ Chapter V. The summary and conclusions of the study are

coF‘ltained in Chapter VI.

CHAPTER II
THEORY

Each person lives with himself, and hence, to some degree,
is always alone. No one can completely know the self of anyone
else, although in the quest for understanding one’s self in others
there has developed much of human thought and philosophy includ-
ing psychology. Man has long held the hope of answering such
questions as: “Who am 1?”; “What am 1?”; “How did I come to
be this way?”; and their logical consequence, the search for
purpose, “Why am I?”

The psychological construct, the self-concept, connotes
this area of essentially private experience and self-evaluation,
essentially private even though it is in part translated into ac-
tion by most of the things we say and do, by the attitudes we
hold, and by the beliefs we express. Sullivan considered this
“self-dynamism” central to personality (3).

From the learning point of view, the self-concept may be

Viewed as the apex, the culmination of all the social and personal

10

experiences we have had. Conditioning and instrumental learning,
primary and secondary generalizations, reward and punishment,
motives and drives, expectancies and probabilities, and conflicts,
fixations, and displacements. All these processes and experiences
play a part, first in distinguishing others from me, later in a
partly articulate awareness of _m__e_, and finally in the mature me,
who may be cynical and trusting, happy or depressed, Self-confi-
dently male or female.

Although the self-concept is highly complex, most of the
research done to date has concerned itself with a single dimen-
sion, namely the good-bad or positive-negative dimension. The
self-concept may be thought of as a set of expectancies, plus
evaluations of the areas or behaviors with reference to which
these expectancies are held. Within this good—bad dimension, the
total self-concept of an individual may vary from extremely poor
(01‘ minus, -) to very good (or plus, +). The over-all self-concept
may be visualized as the algebraic total; if, in considering the
many areas making up the self, more important areas are regarded
as good, a positive concept of self can be inferred, and vice versa.

The self-concept may also hold properties in common with
drive in that one selects some developmental, recreational, or avo-

CatiOnal area as a function of certain characteristics of the

11

self-concept, and one rejects others; or because of its directive
function one person will behave one way while another reacts to
the same situation in quite another manner.

From the foregoing discussion, which is developed from
the literature, the self-concept is regarded as a complex phe-
nomenon made up of many facets, with each facet differing in
importance. Expectancies have been learned for each facet so
that the individual can predict success or failure in connection
with behavior that pertains to a given facet. These expectancies
have been acquired and can be changed according to the princi-
ples of learning mentioned previously. The various aspects of
the self-concept will be selected by the individual to preserve and

enhance it, and he will further behave in ways that are congruent

with his self-concept.

Measurements of Self-Concept

All measurements of self-concept include the idea of de-
sirability and undesirability. Desirability may be evaluated by
one investigator according to an abstract social norm; to be
800(1, to be pretty, or to be intelligent is ordinarily something
that Society at large values as positive; to be bad, to be ugly, or

to be stupid is something that society thinks of as a negative

12

quality. Other investigators assess desirability and undesirability
in terms of the evaluation of the subjects themselves: for one girl
to be vivacious may be good; another may be indifferent to vivac-
ity; for still another girl this quality may have negative connota-
tions. A male may think of sophistication as something he wants
and values; another may think of it as an effeminate quality of

which he wishes no part.

Measurements of self-concept vary, then, along the dimen-
sion of how values are attached; some research workers use gen-
eral social norms; others use the personal norms of the people
they include in the study. In most measures of the self-concept
a number of terms, traits, values, or characteristics are presented
to the subjects. One of the instruments used in this research
(IAV) lists adjectives and asks the subjects to estimate the de-
gree to which each term applies to them. A rating of one means
“very much like me” or “very characteristic of me,” while the rating
0f five carries with it the idea of “I am almost never like this”
or “this is not like me.” It is within this dimension of personal
norms that the present study is partially measured.

Regardless of which system is used, every choice of every
sublect is given a positive, a neutral, or a negative value. Ordi-

“34‘ 11y these are added algebraically and the resulting figure is

13

thought of as an index of the self-concept. Another less fre-
quently used method of measuring the self-concept consists of
having the subject respond to some projective-type technique such
as a sentence-completion test. The present study utilizes the
sentence-completion test devised by Personnel Analysts of Boston,
Massachusetts.1 In this test the subject is asked to complete
seventy-five sentence stems. Theoretically the activity of the
self-system may be seen as an attempt to enhance or develop
itself. It may be inferred for the purpose of this study that the
language used in response to this stimulus may be characteristic
of the maintenance and identity of the self-system. The areas of
language usage investigated with this instrument in this study
were verbs implying feeling and verbs implying m.
Discrepancy between the Perceived
Self and the Ideal Self

Many studies, in addition to asking subjects for self-
Perceptions, obtain an additional measure--the subject after
indicating how he feels about himself is asked to go through the

Same items again and indicate how he would like to be ideally.

 

 

1Included in Appendix B are copies of both the SCT and
the IAV.

14

Since almost all of us would like to be better than we are, the
ideal self is invariably judged to be at least as good as and
almost always better than the perceived self. The difference
between the scores for the perceived self and the ideal self is
identified as the discrepancy score; to obtain this, the score for
the perceived self is usually subtracted from the score repre-
senting the ideal self. The larger this discrepancy score, the
more dissatisfied with himself the person is presumed to be.
Bruce studied the self-ideal discrepancies of 184 sixth-grade
children, drawn from eight sixth-grade classes (4). Compared
with the children who had low self-ideal discrepancy scores, the
self-dissatisfied youngsters were significantly more anxious on
the Childrens Manifest Anxiety Scale and were rated by observers
as being significantly less secure.

Mitchell obtained results that are very similar to Bruce’s
results, in his study of a hundred college freshman and sopho-
more women (5). Among other data Mitchell secured measures
Of Self-ideal discrepancy and anxiety; his self-rejecting women
Were more likely than the self-accepting women to say about
Ithemselves such things as that they gave up easily, were more
SenSitive than others, were less happy, less calm, and more

r eStless, and that things piled up on them. They believed that

15

they were more distractable and high-strung, that life is a strain,
that they could not live up to their parents’ expectations for them.
Mitchell found an over-all correlation of .41 between the self-
ideal discrepancy and anxiety (the greater the discrepancy, the
higher the anxiety score) (6).

The topic of discrepancy between the perceived and the

ideal self has been given separate treatment from the self-concept

considered in this theoretical orientation. There is some logical

question about separating the two, since there are suggestions in
the literature that the results obtained in self-ideal discrepancy

studies would have been obtained as clearly and simply by employing

a measure of perceived self only (7). Ideal-self scores elicited

from a population tended to bunch together at the favorable end
of the scale, whereas perceived-self scores were normally dis-
tributed. This fact would mean that the discrepancy score is
almost perfectly correlated with the perceived-self score, so that

little additional information may be gained from calculating the

dis (2 repancy score.

In other words, just as much may be learned about people

by the simple procedure of giving and scoring a perceived-self
test as by adding the ideal-self test and computing the discrep-

ancy score. However, even though such purely statistical

16

considerations may have affected many self-ideal discrepancy

studies, the study of self-acceptance and self-criticism continues
to be important. More sophisticated ways of obtaining measures

both of perceived self and of ideal self should also contribute to
such research.

As previously stated, research evidence indicates that
people who are highly self-critical--that is, show a large dis-
crepancy between the way they actually see themselves and the
way they would ideally like to be--are less well adjusted than
those who are at least moderately satisfied with themselves.
Further evidence indicates that highly self-critical adults are

more anxious, more insecure, and possibly more cynical and

depressed than self-accepting people. They may, however, be

more ambitious and driving. At least some evidence indicates

that people experience conflict about the traits on which they
have greatest self-ideal discrepancy, and that this conflict is

Sharp enough to interfere with learning involving such areas.

Self-Concept and the Real Self

There is, of course, no way of knowing the real self.
The closest approximation that can be made, within the current

state of knowledge, is to compare the statements of a person

17

about himself with judgments of peOple who know him well. For
understandable reasons, studies that compare the self—concept

and the real self are infrequent; self-concept studies are easy

to conduct with captive pOpulations such as a group of high school
students or college students and introductory psychology classes.
To study the real self it is necessary to work with groups whose
members know every other member well, and who are willing to
make the effort to co-Operate with the research worker.

One study of real self and self-concept was done by

Calvin and Holtzman, using college men as subjects (8). These
investigators elicited the co-Operation of four fraternity groups
whose members each knew every other member well. All
seventy-nine co-Operated. All were given the Minnesota Multi—
phasic Personality Inventory in groups. They were then inter-
viewed individually so that the background information for each
could be obtained and each could rank his peers on traits of
leadership, tolerance, adjustment, drive, tactfulness, and social
understanding. The pooled ranks of every other man per particu-
lar man constituted his score for inferred self. If a man ranked
' 11hIlSelf higher than his peers rated him, he was said to be “self-

enhancing”; if he ranked himself lower, he was “self-depreciative.”

18

The closer to his peers’ pooled ranking his own ranking was, the
more discerning he was considered to be.

The authors of the above study suggest that persons scor-
ing high on these three scales of the MMPI (“Depression,” “Psy-
chasthenia,” and “Schizophrenia”) reflect a chronic state of

marginal maladjustment including concern with one’s self. Sub-

jects who score high on this factor would tend to have difficulties
in their social contacts, possibly by reason of their dissatisfac-
tions, worry, and disgruntlement and their complaining and pessi-
mistic attitude.

In another study, by Howard, of young men in the Army,
fifty-one men filled out a self-rating and at least two of their
comrades filled out the same rating for them (9). The discrep-
ancy between their real self and their own self-concept was then
cOmputed. It was found that the correlation between this discrep-
ahey and their Army rating of delinquency was .56 (the greater
the discrepancy, the greater the delinquency). When effects of
intelligence were ruled out statistically, the correlation increased
to .64 (7). This again appears to be evidence indicating that 32-

Curacy of self-perception is related to good adjustment, in the

 

Sense that well-adjusted people are less likely to be delinquent.

This conclusion is interesting in the light of the Calvin and

19

Holsom findings that inaccurately rating fraternity men had more
emotional and less mature attitudes, and also scored higher on
attitudes of social irresponsibility and delinquency than the men

who rated themselves accurately.

The accuracy of self-estimate may be associated with a
number of other indexes of good adjustment, although some studies
suggest that this relation is affected by whether the self-concept
is high and accurate or low and accurate. The former condition

is accepted in this study as being more likely to accompany good

adjustment.

Self-Acceptance and Acceptance of Others

The notion that people who are self—accepting are accept-
ing of others has been frequently tested. The theoretical posi-
tion held in this study follows that of Rogers; e.g., that the mal-
adjusted self-rejecting person, if he also rejects others, is likely
to be rejected by them in turn, with resulting irritation of his
maladjustment (10).

The majority of studies on this subject indicate a clear
(Significant relation between acceptance of self and the acceptance
0f others for both men and women, although actual popularity does

not seem to be associated with either self-acceptance or the

 

20

acceptance of others. At least seven studies support the predic-
tion that self-acceptance accompanies tolerance of and liking for
others, thus suggesting that the self-accepting person sees the
world as a friendlier and more benign place than does the self-
rejecting individual. These studies are so congruent in their
results that they will be only listed here. Berger (11), Phillips
(12), Macintire (13), Crandall and Bellugi (l4), Omwake (15), Fey

(16), and Levanway (17).

To summarize, self-acceptance seems to be associated
with acceptance of other peOple. This would appear to indi-
cate that the self-accepting person views the world as a friend-
lier place than the self-rejecting person. However, perhaps be-
cause of the complexity of social interaction, the acceptance of
others has not been found to be associated with actual popularity.
It has been suggested that self-disparaging people, particularly
those who are objectively successful, are better accepted socially
than the prototypic well—adjusted person, perhaps because they
Present no threat to their friends. This may also be seen as
an example of our tendency to conceal hostility and to exercise
'techniques of good manners and warmth toward people whether

We like them or not.

21
Change in Self-Concept

Change in self-concept is, of course, required by the proc-
ess of maturing. Considering the importance of knowledge about
the development and change of the self-concept, it is surprising
that little direct study has been done on this topic. Engle, for
example, has demonstrated that adolescents improve in self-concept
over a two-year period, without therapy or other special attempts
to change their self-image (18). Of the group she studied, those
with initially negative self-concepts improved the most, although
youngsters with good self—concepts maintained their original sta-
tus. Rogers and his students have demonstrated that adults’ self-
concepts tend to improve with psychotherapy; indeed, they regard
improvement in self-concept as an indicator of successful therapy

(19),

All of the present discussion of the self-concept has been
based on the assumption that it is learned. It seems logical that
the self-concept, based as it is on attitudes and values held about
the self, has much in common with general social attitudes and
Person beliefs and values. Any theory or research that relates

to Change in attitudes should have relevance for changes in the

Self-cone ept.

22

Festinger maintains that when inconsistent perceptions are
held by a person either about himself or about environment, he is
placed in a state of tension, which Festinger calls “psychological
dissonance.” This is an uncomfortable state of affairs which the
individual tends to alleviate or dissipate by bringing his cogni-
tions closer together (20). It would seem plausible to extend this
theory to self-concept discrepancies. The evidence presented in-
dicates that individuals with high self-ideal discrepancies are
uncomfortable people who may be struggling to get their self and
their ideal-self concepts more in line with each other, and that
improvement in self-concept is regarded at least by some as an
indication of increased personal comfort and happiness.

In summary, one may predict from the Festinger “disso-
nance theory” that the self-concept will change in the direction
of overt behavior relating to it. Change will be greater if the
behavior is induced by low pressure or accompanies a high de-
gree of freedom of choice; and it is likely to have tangible con-
sequences. In other words, it is expected to become known by
people important to the subject. Shifts in the importance or
' value of facets of the self-concept will occur when the individual
is forced to choose behavior that is related to one facet to which

the chosen behavior is relevant.

23

The assumption of this theory suggests that the self-
concept is learned, and can best be visualized as a set of ex-
pectancies, plus evaluations of the areas or behaviors concern-
ing which these expectancies are held.

As stated previously, most of the research that has been
done on the self-concept has concerned its “good-bad” or
“+ -” dimension. Items, usually in some form of questionnaire
designed to measure this dimension, either are selected because
they have consensual social value (+ or -) or are related per-
sonally by the individual being measured.

The considerable body of research on traits, attitudes,
behaviors, and various qualities associated with the self-concept
indicates rather clearly that good self-concepts are associated
with such desirable characteristics as low anxiety, good adjust-
ment, popularity and effectiveness in group relations, but with
relative independence from the group. Those with good self-
concepts seem more honest with themselves than individuals with
poor self-concepts, and appear to be less defensive.

A related but not necessarily independent type of self-

‘ concept research concerns itself with the discrepancies between
the actual self and the ideal self. This area is labeled as not

necessarily independent because the amount of self-ideal

24

discrepancy may be a function more of the (+) and (-) variation
of the self-concept than of variations in the ideal self.

Generally speaking, the greater the self-ideal discrepancy,
the less adequate the adjustment according to a variety of cri-
teria. The responses of those with high self-ideal discrepancies
seem quite similar to those of subjects in other studies that have

taken into account only the good-bad dimensions of the self-

concept.

It would appear that self-acceptance is related to accept-
ance of others, although not to actual popularity. Those who are
self-rejecting but who do accept others are rated as more popu-

lar than highly self-accepting persons who are not highly other-

accepting.
Summary

The theoretical orientation underlying the present study
has posited the self-concept as a complex measurable phenomenon.
The self-concept is learned, acquired, and selected by the indi-
Viclual to preserve and enhance the self with subsequent behavior

being congruent with the individual’s self—concept.

The dimensions for measurement of the self-concept have

been couched within personal norms and projective techniques.

25

For the purpose of this study the discrepancy between the

perceived self, and the ideal self will be used. Some evidence

indicates that counselors may experience conflict about traits on

which there exists some self—ideal imbalance.

A majority of studies appear to indicate that a significant

relationship exists between the acceptance of self and the accept-

ance of others. The present study utilizes this position.
It is assumed that the self-concept is learned and that
changes in self-perception occur as attitudes and values develop.
This change may be particularly felt when inconsistent perceptions
are held by a person about himself or about his environment. The
Festinger theory of “dissonance” offers opportunities for research
into how such changes may take place.
Having defined the positions and citing some evidence in

Support of the positions to be taken in the present study, the next

Step is to review the research related to the problem and the in-

struments employed. This is undertaken in Chapter III.

CHAPTER III
REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH

The Bills Index of Adjustment and Values has been used

quite extensively since its deveIOpment in the 1950’s. The IAV

is published in four forms with accompanying manuals: Adult
Form (twelfth grade and above); High School Form (grades nine,
ten, and eleven); Junior High Form (grades six, seven, and eight),
and the Elementary Form (grades three, four, and five). In this
chapter certain selected studies are reviewed concerning the

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values (Adult Form) and the Sen-

tence Completion Test (Personnel Analysis) and their uses which

are relative to the present study.

Studies Concerning the Bills Index
of Adjustment and Values

Since the IAV has not been validated as a predictive in-

Strument, only content, concurrent, and construct validity will be

discussed.

26

27

Content validity
To arrive at the IAV traits, a sample of 124 words was

taken from Allport’s list of 17,953 traits (21). In selecting this

sample an effort was made to choose those items which seem to

occur frequently in client-centered interviews and which seem to

present clear-cut examples of self-concept definitions. Such a

procedure would appear to draw heavily upon the opinions and
experience of the people making the item selections, but does

insure that the items selected would be meaningful for self-de-

scriptive purposes. A review of the literature failed to reveal

any significant validation of the IAV sampling the universe of

traits from which it was drawn. The test-retest procedure used

by Bills and the subsequent factor analysis resulted in the re-

tention of the forty-nine words which are included in the present

form (22).

Concurrent validity

Three groups of students at the University of Kentucky
cOlnpleted the “self” index and were tested with the Phillips

findes toward Self and Others Questionnaire, the California

Igor Personality, and the Washburne S-A Inventory. Although

the coefficients are small, statistically significant relationships do

28

appear between the acceptance of self-measure of the IAV and
both the Phillips self-score and the total scores on the California

instrument. The discrepancy score of the IAV also showed a

small but statistically significant correlation with both the Phil-
lips self-measure and the Washburne (23).

The relationships between the IAV and the Berger scales
for measuring self-acceptance and the acceptance of others, and
the Phillips Attitudes toward Self and Others scale were tested
by Omwake (24). Here, the coefficients varied from medium to
low but also appear to be statistically significant. Omwake sum-
marizes her study by stating that “the three measures of self-

acceptance agree closely; those for attitudes toward others agree

less well.” Bills suggests that the lower agreement of the meas-
ures of attitudes toward others in this study might be due to the
fact that the measures seek somewhat different ends. The Berger
and Phillips scales ask the subject his opinion of other people;
the IAV asks the subject to complete the “others” index as he

believes the average person in his peer group would complete it

for himself (25).

Bills attempted to determine if high and low self-acceptance
SCores differed significantly when compared to Rorschach charac-

teI‘istics (26).

29

On the basis of a pilot study, 34 specific hypotheses were
formulated relative to Rorschach variables present in the
personalities of persons high and low in acceptance of self
as revealed by the Index of Adjustment and Values. Fifty
new subjects with extreme acceptance of self scores were
examined with the Rorschach. Of the 34 hypotheses 23 were
confirmed, four were denied, and seven remain in doubt. It
was concluded that distinct Rorschach characteristics dis-
tinguish subjects who are high in acceptance of self from
those who are low in acceptance of self. [27]

Theoretically, discrepancy between concept of perceived
self and concept of the ideal self should be related to depres-
sion. The Rorschach records of twenty-eight subjects with high
discrepancy scores on the IAV were compared with the records

of twenty-eight low scores (28). Of the six Rorschach factors
chosen as indicators of depression, five showed significant dif-
ferences between the two groups. Bills concluded that people
with high personal levels of aspirations Show more Rorschach

signs of depression than people with low personal levels of as-

Piration.
Cowen has reported that

two samples of college undergraduates (N=48 and 81 respec-
tively) were given a modified Brownfain Self-Rating Inventory
together with several other personality and socio-psychologi-
cal measures [29]. On the basis of their responses to the
Brownfain inventory, extreme groups of high and low scorers
on the negative self-concept measure were selected, and the
responses on these groups on the dependent measures were

contrasted.

30

In both of the samples the high and low groups showed statistically
significant differences in self-concept, acceptance of self, and dis-
crepancy as measured by the IAV, and the high and low groups
from the sample of fifty-eight subjects showed a statistically sig-

nificant difference in concept of the ideal self.

Construct validity

 

The usefulness of the IAV as a measure of traits or qual-
ities, presumed to be reflected in the test performance, has been
subjected to group study by its author. Bills establishes his ar-

gument for construct validity in the following manner:
I

If people are divided above or below the mean on ac-
ceptance of Self as measured by Column 11 of the “Self” In-
dex, those above the population mean can be termed + and
those below this mean can be classed as -. If, in addition,
these same subjects are asked to complete the “Others” In—
dex, they can be given an additional score. If the scores
on the IAV bear no relevance to personality as described in
terms of self acceptance and acceptance of others, then we
would expect scores to be distributed in the population in
four categories of ++, -+, +-, and -- with approximately
25 per cent of the population in each category.

The examination of 1599 high school seniors reported,
showed that 24.8 per cent were in the ++ category, 27.8 per
cent were in the -+ category, 38.4 per cent were in the +-
group, and only 9.1 per cent were in the -- category, thereby
giving support to the constructs being measured. A sample of
564 university students gave further support. The university
sample contained 25.2 per cent ++, 34.0 per cent -+, 33.9 per
cent +- and only 6.0 per cent --. The per cent of -- in both
samples is obviously far less than would be expected from
a chance distribution. [30]

31

Roberts conducted a study of the validity of the self—ratings
given on the IAV as measures of the emotionality of the IAV traits
for his subjects (31). Roberts used reaction time for free asso-
ciation as measured by a chronoscope and voice key to show that
traits which showed a discrepancy between the concept of self and
the concept of ideal self and traits which were given low ratings
on acceptance of self had significantly longer reaction times than
did their counterparts. In summary, Roberts states:

The results indicate that the self-ratings of the Index are
valid indices of emotionality. Reaction time was significantly
longer for trait words on which the subjects indicated dis-
crepancy between concept of self and concept of ideal self.
A significantly longer reaction time was also found for words
in which the subjects disclosed a rejection of self in their
present condition. In addition, the results reveal that the

concept of self is not an index of emotionality unless a re-
jection or discrepancy is indicated upon the same personality

trait. [32]

Although these results appear to be meaningful by themselves,
Roberts limited his subjects to females (N = 50).

Renzaglia completed a study of “Some Correlates of the
Self Structure as Measured by the Index of Adjustment and Val-
ues” (33). Unlike the Roberts study mentioned above, Renzaglia’s
population included 68 per cent males and 32 per cent females.
The age range of this sample was seventeen through twenty—four,

W1th a median age of eighteen. Renzaglia was concerned with

32

testing the following hypotheses:

1. An individual will respond toward others, towards ex-
periences, and toward various issues in a manner (quality)
consistent with the way he sees and regards himself . . . on
a self report instrument. [33; 157]

2. High and low self describers do not differ on certain
measures of scholastic achievement. [33; 157]

3. Male and female students do not differ on their respective
inter-correlations between their self structures. [33; 157]

4. a. Psychological tension accompanies self-structures that
fall considerably below the usual cultural patterns. (Thus,
high and low self-describers will differ on a measure of anx-
iety in the expected direction.)

b. They also differ on a measure of the internalization
phenomenon.

c. Psychological tension also accompanies disparity or
lack of harmony between and among self-structures. (Indi-
viduals classified as having disparate self-structures will
score higher on a measure of anxiety than will those with
harmonious structures.)

d. Disparity is also associated with a greater tendency
to internalize one’s conflicts. [33; 158]

5. Self—describing tendencies are integral aspects of per-

sonality.
a. High and low self-describers differ on certain scales

of the MMPI.
b. It is possible to describe the type of MMPI profile
that high and low self satisfied (reported) subjects are likely

to obtain. [33; 158]

6. Perceptions and cognitions referable to the self originate
primarily as a result of evaluative interaction with influential
people in one’s immediate environment.

a. An individual’s reported feeling tone (attitudes) toward
such experiences, and his eXpressions of how he now per-
ceives his relationships with certain influential people in his
environment gives some indication as to the kind of interac-
tion he has experienced.‘ [33; 158]

33

Following the administration of the IAV the students were

grouped in the categories called for by the hypotheses and corre-

lations were computed. The results show low but statistically

significant correlations between the IAV scores and factors re-
lated to anxiety and internalization as measured by the MMPI.
Significant coefficients were reported in estimates of college
success, period of life rated as most pleasant or unpleasant,
frequency of punishment, attitude toward punishment, and attitudes
toward parent. The statistical significance of these coefficients
is interpreted as support for the validity of the IAV.

Renzaglia’s study also reports the following evidence in

regard to the hypotheses that self-describing tendencies are in-

tegral aspects of personality:

Low self-describers differ (significantly) from high self-

describers on certain MMPI scales accordingly:
a. Low self-describers are not as cautious on what

they are willing to say about themselves . . . their K scale
is much higher,
b. Their mood is more depressive . . . D scale mean

is much higher,
c. Low describers tend to feel more miserable about

their symptoms and bizarre preoccupations . . . their Pt and
Se scales are considerably higher.
(1. They tend toward more social introversion . . . the

difference on Si-e scale is very significant, and
e. Generally, these low self-describers show a MMPI

profile of greater elevation than the high describers. [33;
220]

34

An investigation of the existing relationships between some

personality characteristics of counseling trainees and the effec-

 

tiveness of their ability to communicate with clients in counseling

 

interviews using the Index of Adjustment and Values was carried

 

out by Jerome M. Brams (34). The instrument Brams used to
measure the excellence of communication in the interview was a
rating scale devised by Anderson and Anderson (1954) as a
measure of rapport between counselor and client. This rating
scale was correlated with the IAV, the MMPI, Taylor’s MAS, and

the Berkeley Public Opinion Questionnaire. The subsequent cor-

 

relations between these measures of personality characteristics
and the criterion suggests that effective communication in coun-
seling interviews is positively related to the trainee’s tolerance
for ambiguity as measured by the Berkeley POQ. Other relation-
ships measured were inconclusive. Although the major results of
this study are inconclusive, it may well be that the available ob-
jective instruments are not suitable for personality measurement
of test-sophisticated graduate students in the area of counseling
psychology (1).
Donald J. Strong did a factor-analytic study of three

measures of self-concept (35): The Butler and Haigh Self-Ideal-

 

Ordinary Person (SIO Q-Sort), The Bills Index of Adjustment and

 

 

35

121335., and the Worchel Self-Activity Inventory (SAI). Among
the extracted factors in this study, the perceived self, and the
acceptance of self as interpreted by the IAV was seen as being
the largest factor, and dominated most of the study in the area
of perceived self. The results of this study showed the per-
ceived self to be the only variable measured in common by all
three tests. The study further pointed up the ideal self as quite
complex, with scattered factor loadings. The measure of Bills
“acceptance of self” (Column II) had much in common with the
perceived-self measures.

Within the limitations of an instrument such as the IAV,
previously stated in Chapter I, the evidence presented in these
studies is interpreted as sufficiently significant to warrant its
use in the present study.

The calculation of reliability for the Bills IAV is perhaps
more difficult than gaining evidence of validity. Because of the
nature of the IAV the usual forms of calculating reliability are
of little value. The only possible test of reliability is the test-
retest method. The weakness inherent in this method is that if
the retest is given too soon, recall and memory will influence

the results. If the retest is delayed too long, then the responses

36

of the person involved may change, thus affecting the reliability
coefficient unjustly.

The fact that a certain degree of validity seems to have
been established would tend to support the reliability of the in-
strument. This, plus the fact that the IAV is becoming more
widely used in research, led to its being employed in the current
study.

Studies Concerning the Sentence
Completion Test

 

 

Since the time of Payne (1928) and Tendler (1930), who
first used this type of test as an aid in vocational guidance and
to measure “emotional insight,” respectively, the sentence comple-
tion test has served a vast variety of needs (1). Cameron (1938)
studied thinking processes of schizophrenics by comparing their
completions with those of normal adults in logicalness, integration,
distortion, and fixed thinking (31). Sanford (1943) employed a
thirty-sentence test in his study of personality and scholarship
among grade school children (38). Cruickshank (1951) studied
fear and guilt reactions and their effect on personal aspirations
(39). Copple converted sentence completions into a measure of

“effective intelligence” (40) to mention only a very few examples.

37

In addition to the above areas of research, the sentence
completion test has been employed in a vast number of ways for
use in clinical settings. In this area Rhode’s work (1946) is
noteworthy. She attempted to establish normative data on her
variables in a major attempt at standardization (41). Rotter also
developed a forty-item form which was used to screen maladjusted
students (42). An incomplete sentence test of one hundred items
measuring twelve areas of personality was devised for use in the
OSS Assessment Program by the staff of that program (43). Many
consulting psychologists use nonstandardized sentence completion
tests as exploratory open-end attitude questionnaires. The test
also seems well adapted to an analysis of problem areas and
has proven useful in giving a clinician a set or orientation to—
ward a client so he may structure his first interview in advance
(44). More recently, sentence completion tests are also being
used to determine continuation and improvement in therapy by
administering the same test at different intervals during therapy
and comparing the responses (45).

Generally, the test is considered to be most efficient in
assessing the content--attitudes, motives, conflicts, et cetera--
rather than the general structure or organization of personality.

It is often claimed also that the test provides information

38

concerning motives and values at a more manifest or conscious
level than other projective devices such as the TAT or Ror—
schach. Stone and Dellis, however, report considerable overlap-
ping of the levels of consciousness tapped when they administered
the WAIS, TAT, Sentence Completion Test, Rorschach, and Draw-
a-Person Test to twenty patients diagnosed as pseudoneurotic or
pseudocharacterological schizophrenics to test the hypothesis that
the more structured question will elicit a more conscious re-
sponse (46).

The fact that the sentence completion test is used more
often today than all but two or three other projective techniques
can best be explained by the test’s flexibility and relative econ-
omy of time and effort involved in collecting and analyzing the
response data. The test can be administered in group form and
requires no special training to administer, nor particularized
training to interpret. The test is suitable for almost all sub-
jects who can read and write, and for those who can not it may
be given verbally. Then, too, it is felt that the relationship be-
tween the stimulus and response is less predetermined by cul-
tural stereotypes and logical structure.

The test can be analyzed in different ways to fit individual

needs. For purposes of screening personal or measuring effects

39

of therapy the type or style of responses can be analyzed. For
example, Ebner and Shaw found that normal subjects produce a
significantly greater number of reconciliation responses than do
neuropsychiatric patients (46). Impediments to and distortions of
thought processes are usually brought out by factor analysis of
individual variables. It is this method that also yields the con-
tent of personality. Both types of analysis or any combination
of them can be employed.

Perhaps the strongest objection to this instrument stems
from the belief that the purpose of the test is poorly disguised
and as a result the information given is often that which is most
public in the subject’s psychological make-up. Then, too, the
subject can distort his responses with relative ease to give the
examiner only what he wants known.

While the test’s flexibility is admirable, its many uses and
variations have resulted in very little normative data and stand-

ardization in scoring. The exception here is the Rotter Test.

 

While scoring has been fairly objective, there have been incidents
where scoring was significantly affected by the knowledge of the
subject. Valid scoring is made more difficult because the evalu-
ation of test responses is inevitably bound to the stimulus. For

example, a response such as ". . . he hit them with a brick”

40

must be interpreted differently when given to stems like “When
they looked at him . . .” or “After they knocked him down. . . .”
Finally, this instrument is limited in its use with young children
whose perceptions are normally distorted because of their lack

of experience. This latter criticism, however, is one that can

be leveled against most projective techniques.

In conclusion, it is interesting to note Lindzey’s appraisal
of the relation between psychological theory and projective tech-
niques. After examining the stimulus-response theory, the psy-
choanalytic theory, perceptual research, fantasy and overt aggres-
sion theory, and attempting to ferret out implied assumptions in
the present use of such tests, he states:

There is considerable congruence between common interpre-
tive practice and various theoretical positions . . . however,
equally clear is the gap between many specific interpretive
acts that form a part of the projective tester’s repertoire
and the comforting background of theory. [47]

Thus, though the sentence completion test has found a real
place in the testing world today, much research continues to be
done on it. As indicated in this review, some of this research
has been of a contradictory nature, while some has shown this

instrument to be reliable under test-retest conditions with corre-

lations of .8, and interscorer reliability as high as 95 per cent.

41

The SCT employed in the present study utilizes sentence
stems which theoretically would elicit responses centered around
self-concept (good and bad), energy level, relationship to job and
supervisory attitudes. These criteria would appear to incorporate
much of the present high school counselor’s role function. The
scoring methodology used on the SCT originates with the investi-

gator of this study and is further explained in Chapter IV.

CHAPTER IV
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE

The development of this design is based in part on the

theory and research of the previous two chapters. The details

of the research design involving a description of the sample,

evaluating instruments, data—collecting procedures, and method

of analysis follows.

Description of the Sample

The study is based on the responses of sixty-four second-

 

ary school counselors randomly selected from the Counselor Di-

rectory, Department of Public Instruction, Lansing, Michigan.

 

These counselors were asked to complete the Bills Index of Ad-
igstment and Values (Adult Form) and the Sentence Completion
__T_est, Personnel Analysts, Boston, Massachusetts. Both of these

instruments were self-administered, with no time limit imposed.

42

43

Classification of counselors

 

To determine what relationships, if any, exist between the
scores indicated on these instruments and the hypotheses under
study, it was necessary to categorize the counselors according
to age, sex, and education. These data were collected on the
preliminary request sent to the subjects. For the purpose of

this study the counselors were classified as follows:

1. Age
11. Sex 1. Male
2. Female
111. Education 3. No MA
4. MA
5. MA +

High schools in the sample

 

As stated previously, the nature of the sample is random.
The distribution of the sample, however, does cut across Class
A, B, and C schools as designated by the Michigan High School
Athletic Classification System for Lower Peninsula schools:
Class A: 900 or more students

Class B: 400 to 899 students
Class C: 399 students or less

44

Selection of the sample

 

Three hundred names representing each city appearing in

the Counselor Directory published by the Guidance Services Di-

 

vision of the Department of Public Instruction for the State of
Michigan (1961) were selected arbitrarily.

The subjects for this study were then randomly selected
by the flip of a coin. Heads determined the selected subjects.
Of the one hundred thirty-eight subjects invited to participate in
this study, sixty-four responded (48 per cent). The basic self-
reporting data for the sample population are presented in

Table 1 .

Evaluating Instruments

 

The Bills Index of Adjustment and Values, Adult Form,

 

and a Sentence Completion Test (Personnel Analysts) constituted

 

the two criterion instruments used in this study.

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values

 

The IAV was developed during the 1950’s as a research
instrument to help assess personality variables. The IAV is
designed to measure:

1. Self—concept.

45

TABLE 1.--Composition of self-reporting data of the sample.

 

 

Item Male Female

N ...................... " ...... 44 20
Age range: Maximum .............. 64 57

Minimum ............... 25 29
Full time ....................... 32 12
Part time ....................... 12 8
No MA ......................... 16 4
MA ........................... 6 6

MA + ......................... 22 10

 

46

2. Self-acceptance.
3. Concept of ideal self.

4. Discrepancy between self-concept and concept of ideal
self.

5. Perceptions of how other people (peer group) accept
themselves.

In addition, the IAV yields measures of the importance of each of
the forty-nine different traits in a person’s value system.

The administration of the IAV is relatively simple. The
subject is asked to rate himself and his peer group on three
questions asked of the forty-nine traits. Responses are recorded
as numbers 1 through 5 under three columns on the answer sheet.
The answer sheets were hand-scored according to the directions
for scoring found in the manual.

The validity and reliability of the IAV still appear difficult
to estimate. A few studies concerning the precision ‘and con-
sistency of this instrument are reviewed in Chapter III.

The IAV was administered with certain assumptions: the
counselors will be responsive to the traits; they will accept the
responsibility of completing the instrument with a constructive
attitude; and they will find that those traits listed cover reason-
ably well the variables of personality to which they are sensitive.

As far as could be determined, the counselors in this study

47

approached the task with a constructive attitude. Several ex-
pressed their interest in the IAV and the subsequent findings.
Reviews and research of the IAV have indicated that this
instrument can only be expected to provide data as to a subject’s
conscious and willingly expressed reactions to several perceptual
variables, including his needs and values, the presence or absence
of threat, opportunities for experience with stimuli, the perceiv-
er’s psychological state, and his beliefs about himself and other
people. “These latter beliefs include factors such as self concept,
concept of ideal self, acceptance of self, and beliefs about other
people’s acceptance of themselves” (48). The instrument is not
intended to provide complex data for analyzing and classifying
personality disorders, nor to serve as a basis for predicting
behavior. When used as a research instrument for summary in-
dications or objective assessments of self-perceptions and the
perceptions of others, the IAV can be a useful instrument. It is
within these limitations and purposes that the IAV is used in the

present study.

The Sentence Completion Test

 

The Sentence Completion Test used in this study has not

been subjected to research of this kind. The position taken in

48

this present study would appear to warrant the use of an instru-
ment of this type for the purposes employed; namely, to elicit
written responses to stimuli in an attempt to show the relation-
ship, if any, of language characteristics (choice of verbs) with
other measures of the self-concept.
The SCT used in this present study consists of seventy-
five sentence stems, yielding responses to four major categories:
I. Self-percept
II. Job performance
III. Relationship to job
IV. Supervisory attitudes
Each of the major categories can be broken down into the follow-
ing criteria of responses:
I. Self-percept
1. As is
2. Like to be
3. Bad self
4. Dislike
II. Job performance
1. Energy
2. Health

3 . Motivation

49

4. Competition
Ill. Relationship to job

1. Authority

2. Aggression

3. Group cooperation

4. Reaction to criticism
IV. Supervisory attitudes

1. Subordinates

2. Responsibility

3. General attitudes

The nature of the present study and the limitations of the
SCT will not warrant a complete analysis of the responses by
the above criteria. This material is presented here to indicate
the spread of the responses used in the instrument. This SCT
was selected because this spread appears to cut across those
attitudinal areas of a secondary school counselor’s job descrip-
tion and performance.

The SCT was also administered with the assumption that
the majority of counselors would respond to the sentence stems;
that they would accept the responsibility of completing the in-
strument with a constructive attitude; and that they would find

the sentence stems used relatively sensitive to the variables of

50

personality to which they are aware. Again, as far as could be
determined, the counselors in the study appeared to approach this
responsibility with a constructive attitude. All but two of the
sixty-four subjects responded to each of the seventy-five sentence
stems.

As state previously in Chapter 111, much research contin-
ues to be done on the SCT. The future looks promising for tests
of this nature. The SCT is being tried in an ever increasing
number of situations with encouraging results. Story completion
tests, picture completion tests, and make-a-sentence tests are all
logical outgrowths of this approach. The latter form developed by
Borgatta and Mayer has overcome many of the traditional problems
in objective scoring (49). The SCT used in this study is an ex—
tension of this investigation, within the theoretical context de-
scribed in Chapter II.

The SCT used in the present study was self-administered
by the counselor, with no time limit imposed. The subject was
asked to complete each of the seventy-five sentences with what-
ever came to mind~-regardless of spelling, grammar, or whether

or not it made sense.1

 

1A copy of the SCT and scoring key may be found in
Appendix B.

51

It is hypothesized that the category of verbs used in re-
sponses to stimuli found in a sentence completion test is related
to the subject’s self-concept scores as measured on the IAV.
The scoring process used consisted of counting the verbs imply-
ing “action” or “doing” and the verbs implying a state of “be-
ing” or “feeling” used by each subject in response to the sen-
tence stems. This score procedure originates with the writer
and is the only method used in computing the data on the SCT
used in this study. It is within these limitations and purposes

that the Sentence Completion Test was used in the present study.

Analysis Procedures

 

The following section will contain a description of the
statistical tools and procedures used in the analysis of the data

collected from the Bills Index of Adjustment and Values and the

 

Sentence Completion Test (Personnel Analysts).

 

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values

 

The statistical tool used in the analysis of the IAV
data in this study is the Pearson product-moment correlation
coefficient. This statistic tests general hypotheses regarding the

degree of relationship between two variables.

52

For each counselor who took the IAV, eight scores were
derived. A score was obtained for each of the form areas of
the two dimensions of the Bills index: “self” and “others.”

The scores were placed in a frequency distribution for each of
the correct test categories. Group means and standard deviation
for each test category were computed.1 The formula appropriate
for the product-moment coefficient was used.

In the analysis of the data involving the IAV and the age,
sex, and education of the subjects three subhypotheses were
formed. The relationship of each variable was tested separately

on rank-distribution tables.2

The Sentence Completion Test

 

As stated previously, the two scores rendered from this
instrument for use in the present study were numerical totals of
“being” verbs and “action” verbs. The relationship of these
scores to the IAV measures of self-concept is correlated by

means of the product-moment method.

 

1Frequency distribution tables with apprOpriate means and
standard deviations appear in Appendix C.

2Rank-distribution tables appear in Appendix D.

53

Because of the nature of the data and the intent to look
for major trends, the .05 level of significance was considered ap-

pr0priate for the acceptance or rejection of all hypotheses.

Summary

This chapter has contained a delineation of the methodology
and procedures used to carry out the study. The counselor pOpu-
lation involved in the study were described along with the method

used to select them. The Bills Index of Adjustment and Values

 

and the Sentence Completion Test, the two instruments used in

 

this study, were outlined along with the administrative procedure
employed. The statistical analysis involving the Pearson product-
moment correlation coefficient and the rank—distribution tables
contained in the study were explained.

The problem has been defined; the theoretical orientation
has been presented; related research has been reviewed; and the
procedures for collecting and analyzing the data have been de-
scribed. The next step is to analyze the data. This is carried

out in Chapters V and VI.

CHAPTER V

AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIPS OF
THE COUNSELOR’S PERCEPTIONS OF
HIS SELF-CONCEPT
The present chapter contains an analysis of the percep-

tions of the counselor’s self-concept as reported on two person-

ality measures: the Bills Index of Adjustment and Values; and

 

the findings related to certain language characteristics used on
the Sentence Completion Test. The 1AM, the SCT, and the pro-
cedures used for collecting and analyzing the data have been
described in Chapter IV.

As stated previously, the Pearson product-moment corre-
lation coefficient was appropriate for these data. The .05 level
of confidence was used for determining the acceptance or rejec-
tion of the hypotheses tested concerning the counselor’s self-
description. There were sixteen within-group comparisons made
from the test data involving the IAV and SCT. The product-
moment correlation was used to ascertain whether relationships

existed between the various measures of self and projected

54

55

evaluations of counseling peers. The generalized null hypotheses

tested were:

H01: There will be no significant relationship between
counselors’ evaluations of measures of self and
their projected evaluations of their peers on the
Bills Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

HO'

2. There will be no significant relationship between

the counselors’ choices of verbs used in response
to incomplete sentence stems and the self-concept
measures of the IAV.

Findings

Each of the seven general hypotheses is listed along with
a report of the statistical test and observational results. A
summary of these results is found in Tables 2, 3, and 4 and

Figure 1.

Tests of counselor’s self-description

 

1. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of self and his projected perception of his
counseling peers’ self-percept. A significance correlation (.72)
was evidenced between group scores of Column I (“self”) and
Column I (“others”) on the IAV.

2. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance of his

56

TABLE 2.--A summary of the results of the product-moment
correlation test for relationships between the counselor’s
measure of self and the projected evaluation of his counseling
peers on the Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measures Others
of the
IAV I II III DS
Self
I r = .72*
II r = .63*
III r = .66*
DS r = 68*
Self Others
I Perception of self. I Perception of peers.
II Acceptance of self. II Acceptance of counsel-
III Ideal self. ing peer perception.

III Ideal perception of

DS Discrepancy score be- counseling peer.

tween I and III.
DS Discrepancy score be-
tween I and III.

*Significant at the .01 level of significance using 62 de-
grees of freedom.

57

counseling peers. A significant correlation (.63) was found be-
tween group scores of Column II (“self”) and Column 11
(“others”) on the IAV.

3. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected evaluation
of his peer’s ideal self. A significant correlation (.66) was evi-
denced between group scores of Column III (“self”) and Column
III (“others”) on the IAV.

4. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation of his
peers’ self—discrepancy. A significant correlation (.68) was
evidenced between group (“self”) discrepancy scores and group
(“others”) discrepancy scores on the IAV.

5. (a). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the age of the counselor. The
erratic rank distributions rendered by score and age comparisons
suggested that above the age of twenty-five age itself did not ap-
pear significant for counselors of either sex (Figures D-1 and
D-2 in Appendix D). These data may further suggest the inabil-
ity to extract the effect of the aging process independently with

the instrument employed in this study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 SELF OTHERS 30
2122
25 ~25
IAV 21.68 IAV
DISCREPANCY 20‘ ~20 DISCREPANCY
SCORE SCORE
|5~ —|5
IO IO
- MALE
FEMALE

Fig. l.--Male and female counselors’ self and others mean
discrepancy scores on the Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

59

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5. (b). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the sex of the counselor. There
appears to be some observable variation between the sexes on
certain measures of self. Male counselors indicate a greater
disparity between their perception of self and ideal self than fe-
male counselors (Figure 1). Female counselors appear to rate
their counseling peers lower than do male counselors (Figure 2).
Both sexes tend to rate their counseling peers higher than them-
selves. Female counselors evaluate themselves more closely to
their evaluation of their peers than the male counselors.

5. (c). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the educational level of the coun-
selor.

The counselors holding master’s degrees indicated the
highest percentage distribution (.75) of self-perception scores
above the group mean (Table 3). Female counselors holding mas-
ter’s degrees indicated the largest percentage distribution (.83)
of self-perception scores above the group mean (Table 3).

Tests of certain counselor language character-
istics used on the Sentence Completion Test

 

 

6. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s choice of “state of being” verbs used in the SCT and the

“I

61

TABLE 3.--The distribution of the number of counselors by
educational level scoring above the mean score of the group on
the four self-measures of the Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

 

IAV Self—Measures

 

 

 

Group II 111 DS
No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct.
Males

MA (N=6) . . . 4 .66 4 .66 2 .33 l .16
No MA

(N=16) . . . 7 .43 5 .31 5 .31 6 .37
MA +

(N=22) . . . 5 .25 5 .25 7 .63 6 .27
Total pop.

(N=44) . . . 16 .36 14 .31 14 .31 13 .29

Females

MA (N26) . . 5 .83 5 .83 5 .83 1 .16
No MA

(N=4) . . . . 3 .75 1 .25 1 .25 1 .25
MA +

(N=10) . . . 7 .70 5 .50 9 .90 3 .30
Total pop.

(N=20) . . . 15 .75 11 .55 15 .75 5 .25

Total Group

MA (N=12) . . 9 .75 9 .75 7 .58 2 .16
No MA

(N=20) . . . 10 .50 6 .30 6 .30 7 .35
MA +

(N=32) . . . 13 .40 10 .31 16 .50 9 .27
Total pop.

(N=64) . . 32 .50 25 .39 29 .45 18 .28

 

 

 

62

self-concept measures of the IAV. Positive but variable correla-
tions were evidenced between the number of verbs implying a state
of being and all four measures of self indicated on the IAV (range
.50 to .67).

7. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s choice of verbs implying action used in the SCT and the
self-concept measures of the IAV. Variable but significant cor-
relations were evidenced between the nunmer of verbs implying
action and all four measures of self indicated on the IAV (range

.53 to .60).

The correlation of .91 between “being” and “action” verbs

suggested that the choice of feeling versus action verbs used by

 

the counselor on the SCT is not significant. But the number of
verbs used by a counselor as indicated in hypotheses 6 and 7 in-
dicate positive but variable correlation with the four measures of

self as indicated on the IAV.
Summary

This chapter has included an analysis of the results of

the counselor’s rating of the Index of Adjustment and Values and

 

certain language responses used on the Sentence Completion Test.

63

TABLE 4.--A summary of the product-moment correlation tests
for relationships between the number of “being” and “doing”
verbs used on the Sentence Completion Test and the self-
measures of the Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

 

 

 

Slfil‘fl- “Being” “DOlng”
Verbs Verbs
Measures
I r = .59* r = .59*
II r = .61* r = .57*
III r = .50* r = .53*
DS r = .67* r = .60*

 

*Significant at the .01 level of significance using 62 de-
grees of freedom.

la

64

Perceptions of self and projected evaluations of counseling peers
were contrasted. Comparisons were made within the sample popu-
lation to determine if relationships existed on the basis of age,
sex, and educational level. The Pearson product-moment corre-
lation coefficient was employed to test for the relationships be-
tween the categories of the IAV and the verb responses on the
SCT. Rank-distribution tables were constructed to ascertain the
existence of or trends in the relationships between the counselor’s
self-perception and his age, sex, and educational level.

Having analyzed the data concerning the counselor’s per-
ception of himself and his projected evaluation of his counseling
peer group, the focus of the study turns to Chapter V and the

summary and conclusions of the study.

CHAPTE R VI

S UMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Problem

 

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the
phonemenon known as self-concept as it appears in a randomly
selected group of secondary school counselors in the state of
Michigan. The study involved sixty-four secondary school coun-
selors at various ages and levels of experience and education.

The counselor’s self-perceptions and his projected evalu-
ation of his peer group were determined through the use of the

Bills Index of Adjustment and Values, Adult Form, 1950. Com—

 

parisons were made within the counselor group to determine if
certain relationships existed between the counselor’s self-per-
ception and his projected evaluation of his counseling peers.
Further comparisons were made within the sample population to
ascertain what relationships existed between certain measure-
ments of self-concept and the age, sex, and educational level of

the counselor.

65

66

Certain language characteristics (verbs) and self-perception

were investigated through the use of the Sentence Completion Test,

 

Personnel Analysts, 1956. Comparisons were made between the

 

number of verbs implying action, and the number of verbs imply-
ing feeling used by the counselor in response to the incomplete
sentence stems. Further comparisons were made within the
counselor group to determine if certain relationships existed be-
tween these language characteristics and certain self-concept

measures of the Index of Adjustment and Values.

 

For purposes of within-group comparisons, the counselors
were categorized into three levels-~age, sex, and education. The
level of education was further delineated into three divisions: (1)
no master’s degree; (2) master’s degree; and (3) master’s degree
plus.

The counselor data were obtained through a preliminary
request form sent by mail.1 The counselors were selected by a
random-sampling technique. Three hundred names were selected

from the Counselor Directory published by the Guidance Services

 

Division of the Department of Public Instruction for the State of

MiChigan (1961). The subjects for the present study were then

 

1A copy of the preliminary request form is found in
Appendix A.

67

selected randomly by the flip of a coin. Of the one hundred thirty-
eight counselors invited to participate in this study, sixty—four (48
per cent) responded.

The self-administering “adult” form of the IAV and the
SCT were sent to the described sample of sixty-four secondary
school counselors.

The IAV and SCT data were analyzed by use of the Pear-
son product-moment correlation coefficient. This statistic was
used to test for relationships among the following data: (1) self-
concept and projected evaluation of counseling peers’ self-concept;
(2) acceptance of self and projected evaluation of counseling peers’
acceptance of self; (3) ideal self and the projected evaluation of
counseling peers’ ideal self; (4) self-discrepancy and the pro-
jected evaluation of counseling peers’ self-discrepancy; (5) num-
ber of verbs implying action used on the SCT and each of the
four measures of self on the IAV; (6) number of verbs implying
feeling used on the SCT and each of the four measures of self
on the IAV; and (7) number of verbs implying action used on the
SCT and the number of verbs implying feeling used on the SCT.

The data involving age, sex, and educational comparisons
were evaluated by use of rank—distribution tables. This method-

ology was used to determine what distributions existed between

68

scores rendered on the IAV and the personal data of the coun-

selor.

Seven null hypotheses were tested:

1.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of self and his projected perceptions
of his counseling peers’ self-concept.

. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance
of his counseling peers.

. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected
evaluation of his peers’ ideal self.

. There is no significant relationship between the coun-

selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation
of his peers’ self-discrepancy.

There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s self-perception and the age, sex, and education
of the counselor.

There is no significant relationship between the number
of verbs implying feeling used in the Sentence Comple-
tion Test and the self-concept measures of the Index

of Adjustment and Values.

 

 

 

There is no significant relationship between the number
of verbs implying action used in the Sentence Completion

 

Test and the self-concept measures of the Index of Ad-
Etment and Values.

 

 

In all cases involving correlation coefficients, the .05 level of

cOnfidence was used as the basis for acceptance or rejection of

the null hypotheses.

69

The Findings

 

Results of the within-group comparisons between
measures of self and the projected
evaluation of counseling peer

 

 

 

The four null hypotheses that were tested are listed below
with the results of the data relationships used to test them.

1. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of self and his projected perception of his
counseling peers’ self-concept. A significant correlation (r =
.72) was found between the scores of Column I (“self”) and
Column I (“others”), rendered by the counselor sample, on the
IAV. The null hypothesis is therefore rejected.

2. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s acceptance of self and his projected acceptance of his
counseling peers. A significant correlation (r = .63) was found
between the scores of Column II (“self”) and Column 11 (“others”),
rendered by the counselor sample, on the IAV. The null hypothe-
sis is rejected.

3. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s perception of his ideal self and his projected evaluation of
his peers’ ideal self. A significant correlation (r = .66) was

indicated between the scores of Column III (“self”) and Column

70

III (“others”), rendered by the sample, on the IAV. Therefore,
the null hypothesis is rejected.

4. There is no significant relationship between the coun-
selor’s self-discrepancy and his projected evaluation of his peers’
self-discrepancy. A significant correlation (r = .68) was indi-
cated between the two levels of discrepancy scores, rendered by
the sample, on the IAV. The null hypothesis is rejected.

Results of within-group comparisons between

certain measures of self and age,
sex, and education

 

 

 

The three null subhypotheses are given below with the re-
sults of the observed relationships used to arrive at the conclu-
sions.

5. (a). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the age of the counselor. There
does not appear to be any observed relationship between the age
of the counselor and his scores on the IAV. The comparative
data from the Bills normative sample and the sample involved in
this study (Figure E-l, Appendix E) indicate substantially higher
mean scores rendered by counselors. Age, however, cannot be
entirely extracted from these data as a separate factor. The ap-

parent criteria of deveIOpment, education, and specialization may

71

all be involved in this discrepancy. The subhypothesis is there-
fore accepted.

5. (b). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the sex of the counselor. There
appears to be some observable variation between the sexes on
certain measures of self. Male counselors indicate a larger dis-
parity between their perception of self and their concept of ideal
self than female counselors. Both sexes tended to rate their
counseling peers higher than themselves. Female counselors ap—
pear to rate their counseling peers lower than do male counselors.
Female counselors also evaluated themselves more closely to their
evaluation of their peer group than the male counselors. Based
upon the methodology employed with these data and the nature of
the sample, the sex of the counselor cannot be deemed as signifi-
cantly related to the self-perception scores on the IAV. The sub-
hypothesis is therefore accepted.

5. (c). There is no significant relationship between the
counselor’s self-perception and the educational level of the coun-
selor. The highest percentage distribution of self-perception
scores above the group mean fell in the master’s degree category.
Female counselors holding master’s degrees indicated the largest

percentage distribution of self-perception scores above the group

72

mean. Based upon these observed data, the null subhypothesis
cannot be deemed significantly related to the self-perception
scores on the IAV. The subhypothesis is therefore accepted.
Results of within-group comparisons between

certain language characteristics used

on the Sentence Completionf Test
and measures of self

 

 

 

 

6. There is no significant relationship between the num-
ber of verbs implying feeling used in the SCT and the self-
concept measures of the IAV. Correlations ranged from .50 to
.67 and were not deemed significant as a result of the high (r =
.97) intercorrelation between feeling and action verbs. Therefore,
the null hypothesis is accepted.

7. There is no significant relationship between the num-
ber of verbs implying action used in the SCT and the self-concept
measures of the IAV. Correlations ranged from .53 to .60 and
were not deemed significant based on the high (r = .97) intercor-
relation between feeling and action verbs. Therefore, the null

hypothesis is accepted.

Conclusions

 

The following conclusions are drawn from the study and

are subject to its limitations.

73

1. The secondary school counselor’s self—perception is
related positively to his projected evaluation of his counseling
peers. It is recognized, however, that the cause and effect of
this relationship cannot be determined by these data.

2. The secondary school counselor perceives himself to
be less adequate than he would ideally like to be.

3. As a group, both male and female counselors perceive
themselves to be much alike. The female counselor, however,
does not evaluate her counseling peer group as highly as the
male counselor.

4. (a). The use of verbs in response to incomplete sen-
tence stems correlates positively with the four areas of self-
concept measurement on the IAV. (b). The choice of verb used
(feeling versus action) in response to incomplete sentence stems
does not appear significantly related to concepts of self.

5. There appear to be observable relationships between
the sex of the counselors and their discrepancy between real
self and ideal self.

6. There appears to be an observable relationship be-
tween the sex of a counselor and his projected evaluation of his
counseling peer. Female counselors appear to be more critical

of their counseling peers.

74

7. There also appears to be observable relationships be-
tween the sex and educational level of the counselor and his per-
ception of self. Female counselors holding master’s degrees per-
ceive themselves as more adequate than male counselors in the

same educational category.

Implications

 

Having completed the presentation of the study, the writer
would like to take the liberty of commenting on some views re-
garding the self-concept phenomenon and the counseling profes-
sion. The following statements and conclusions are based on
the writer’s personal eXperience and research in the field of
counseling. These views and interpretations have also been in-
fluenced by thirteen years of teaching eXperience in public schools
and college, six years of professional development and eXperience
in counseling, and the background presented in the completion of
the research for this thesis.

Professional counseling is an intensely personal form of
activity. As such, the amount, the intensity, and the distribution
of the personality involvement of the counselor in the counseling
process continues to be a dependent factor for successful out-

comes. The complex structures of the self which eventually and

75

apparently emote during successful counseling, on the part of
both counselor and client, may continue to be a greater influence
on the counselor-client relationship than any of the systematic
differences in procedure.

To this point, the discussion of the self-concept within
this study has followed the research literature rather closely.
Research in this area has concerned itself almost exclusively
with one aspect or quality of the self—concept: its positive or
negative valence. Suggestions of other qualities of the self-
concept that would appear to merit more consideration and re—
search in the area of counselor assessment and professional
inquiry are as follows:

1. Complexity and breadth. The assumption may be made

 

that normal adults have more complex and better differentiated
self-concepts than children; and that highly intelligent and cul-
tured adults have more complex and more consciously defined
self-concepts than, for example, adults of borderling intelligence,
lesser education, and a narrower range of experience. The coun-
selor who lives only for his work would be eXpected to have a
less expanded self-concept than an individual with a larger va-

riety of interest and activities.

76

These comments and subsequent statements in the literature
lead to the conclusion that individuals may vary both in the extent
to which they have a deve10ped self—concept (how extensive, struc-
tured, or differentiated the self is from the not-self stimuli), and
in the extent to which the self-concept that exists is conscious or
unconscious, as well as the content of self.

2. Congruency and accuracy. The self-concept, it would

 

seem, should conform rather closely to the actual life situation of
the individual. It would appear to be of most importance in the
counseling profession to ascertain the degree of unity or disunity
between the counselor’s perception of self and his concept of his
role function. Many successful people still maintain the self-
concept of shy, inadequate adolescence. Less frequently observed
may be the example of the essentially inadequate individual who
sees himself as a powerful and successful figure in counseling.
Much of psychotherapy and counseling has as its goal an increase
in the congruency of the self-concept.

In summary, then, the self-concept may be an important fea-
ture of behavioral consistency across counseling roles, and the
accuracy of the counselor’s self-concept may be limited by the in-

dividual’s condition of worth.

77

3. Clarity and articulateness. Highly self-aware of inner-

 

directed individuals may have clearer and more articulate, though
not necessarily more accurate, self-concepts than those who are
more extroverted and outer-directed. It is also possible that
highly verbal individuals have clearer, or at least more articulate,
self-concepts than relative nonverbal individuals. These areas
need to be eXplored further as they relate to the counseling per-
sonality.

4. Consistency. The stability of the self-concept is re-

 

lated to consistency. A thread of consistency runs through an
individual’s performances in various roles. These roles and the
role prescriptions comprise an important source of schemas which
serve to organize behaviors into defined patterns. As previously
stated, the self-concept is deve10ped and enhanced through the
ability to discriminate, adapt, and maintain an acceptable inner
and outer role function. These role conflicts may constitute a
major source of inapprOpriate behavior and personal discomfort.

5. Flexibility. The notion of flexibility is somewhat re-

 

lated to both congruency and accuracy, as well as consistency.
It does include something more, however: the ability to change
roles and shift from one apprOpriate self-concept to another as

the occasion demands. Flexibility is also somewhat related to

78

the notion of complexity. The maturing process demands varied
self-concepts. Role performances can vary from role prescrip-
tions as the individual matures. This repertoire of roles, identi-
fications with roles, and subsequent self-conceptualization should
increase with maturity, yet maintain enough looseness in role de-
mands to allow the thread of consistent individuality to run through
the individual’s performance with himself and with others.

This thesis was undertaken for the purpose of investigating
some descriptive aspects of the self-concept as they apply to a
sample pOpulation of active secondary school counselors in the
state of Michigan. The relevance of personality psychology is
recognized, but not expanded in the body of this research.

Regardless of which of the enduring or unique character-
istics of personality to be investigated, in a study such as this,
conclusions cannot be drawn from a relationship between them and
the conditions that may control them until the relationship has been
demonstrated as reliable. The search for methods and instruments

to more adequately investigate and measure the amount, the inten-

 

 

sity, and the distribution, as well as the reliability, of the coun-

 

seling eXperience and the effect and nature of counselor’s person-

ality upon this relationship continues to be an exciting challenge.

BIB LIOGRAPHY

Korner, Ija N. “Ego Involvement in the Process of Disin-

gagement,” Journal of Consulting Psychology, June,

 

1950, 14 (No. 3), 206-9.

Wrenn, C. G. The Counselor in a Changing World, Washing—

 

ton, D.C., American Personnel and Guidance Associa-
tion, 1962, p. 168.

Sullivan, H. C. The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry,

 

Washington, D.C., William Alanson White Psychiatric
Foundation, 1953.

Bruce, P. “Relationship of Self-Acceptance to Other Vari—
ables with Sixth Grade Children Oriented in Self-

Understanding,” Journal of Educational Psychology,

 

1958, 49, 229-38.
Mitchell, J. V., Jr. “Goal—Setting Behavior as a Function
of Self-Acceptance. Over and Underachievement, and

Related Personality Variables,” Journal of Educational

 

Psychology, 1959, 50, 93-104.

 

Mitchell, ibid.

79

10.

ll.

12.

13.

80

Lipsett, L. P. “A Self-Concept Scale for Children and Its
Relationship to the Children’s Form of the Manifest

Anxiety Scale,” Child Development, 1958, 29, 463-73.

 

Calvin, A. D., and Holtzman, W. H. “Adjustment and the
Discrepancy between Self-Concept and Inferred Self,”

Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1953, 17, 39-44.

 

Howard, K. 1. “Concept of Self vs. Real Self: Discrepancy,”

Student Residence, University of Chicago, 1957, 1, 41-

 

45.

Rogers, C. R. Client-Centered Therapy, Boston, Houghton

 

Mifflin, 1951.
Berger, E. M. “The Relation between EXpressed Acceptance
of Self and EXpressed Acceptance of Others,” Journal

of Abnormal Social Psychology, 1953, 47, 778-82.

 

Phillips, E. L. “Attitudes toward Self and Others,” Journal

of Consulting Psychology, 1951, 15, 79-81.

 

McIntire, C. J. “Acceptance by Others and Its Relation to

Acceptance of Self and Others,” Journal of Abnormal

 

Social Psychology, 1952, 47, 624-25.

 

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

81

Crandall, V., and Belluzi, Ursula. “Some Relationships of
Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Conceptualizations of

Personal and Social Adjustment,” Journal of Person-

 

nel, 1954, 23, 224-32.
Omwaki, Katherine T. “The Relation between Acceptance of
Self and Acceptance of Others Shown by Three Per-

sonality Inventories,” Journal of Consulting Psychology,

 

1954, 18, 443-46.
Fey, W. F. “Acceptance by Others and Its Relation to Ac-
ceptance of Self and Others. A Revaluation,” Journal

of Abnormal Social Psychology, 1955, 50, 274-76.

 

Levanway, R. W. “The Effect of Stress on EXpressed Atti-

tudes toward Self and Others,” Journal of Abnormal

 

Social Psychology, 1955, 50, 225-26.

 

Engle, Mary. “The Stability of the Self-Concept in Adoles-

cence,” Journal of AbnormalfiSocial Psychology, 1959,

 

58, 211-15.
Engle, ibid.

Festinger, L. Theory and Cpgnitive Dissonance, Evanston,

 

Illinois, Row, Peterson and Co., 1957.
Allport, G. W., and Odbert, H. S. “Trait-names: A Psycho-

lexical Study,” Psychological Mpnography, 1936, No. 211.

 

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.
28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

82

Bills, R. D. Index of Adjustment and Values, Manual, Adult

 

Form.

Bills, ibid.

Omwaki, Katherine. “The Relation between Acceptance of
Self and Acceptance of Others Shown by Three Per-

sonality Inventories,” found in Journal of Consulting

 

psychology, 1954, 18, 443-46.

 

Bills, 0p. cit.
Bills, R. E. “Rorschach Characteristics of Persons Scor-

ing High and Low in Acceptance of Self,” Journal of

 

Consulting Psychology, 1953, 17, 36-38.

 

Bills, ibid.
Bills, ibid.
Cowen, E. L. “The Negative Self Concept as a Personality

Measure,” Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1954, 18,

 

138-42.

Bills, R. E. Index of Adjustment and Values, Manual, Adult

 

Form.
Roberts, G. E. “A Study of the Validity of the Index of Ad-

justment and Values,” Journal of Consulting Psychology,

 

1952, 16, 303-4.

Roberts , ibid.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

83

Rinzaglia, G. A. “Some Correlates of the Self Structure
as Measured by an Index of Adjustment and Values.”
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Minne-
sota, 1952.

Brams, J. M. “Counselor Characteristics and Effective

Communication in Counseling,” Journal of Counseling

 

Psychology, 1961, 8, 25-31.

 

Strong, D. F. “A Factor Analytic Study of Several Meas-

ures of Self Concept,” Journal of Counseling Psychol-

 

ogy, 1961, 8, 25-31.

Payne, A. F. Sentence Completions, New York, New York

 

Guidance Clinic, 1928.
Cameron, N. “Reasoning, Regression and Communication in

Schi20phrenia,” Psychological Monograph, 1938, 50,

 

1-34.
Sanford, R. N., and others. “Physique, Personality and

Scholarship,” Monograph, Social Resources in Child

 

DeveIOpment, 1943, 8 (No. 1).

 

Cruickshank, W. M. “Qualifications Analysis of Intelligence

Test Responses,” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1947,

 

3, 381-86.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

84

COpple, G. E. “Effective Intelligence as Measured by an
Unstructured Sentence Completion Technique,” Journal

of Consulting Psychology, 1956, 20, 357-60.

 

Rhode, A. R. “Explorations in Personality by the Sentence

Completion Method,” Journal of Applied Psychology,

 

1946, 30, 169-81.
Rotter, J. B., Rafferty, J. E., and Schachtitz, E. “Valida-
tion of the Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank for Col-

lege Screening,” Journal of Consulting Psychology,

 

1949, 13, 348-56.

U.S., Office of Strategic Services. Staff Assessment of Men,

 

New York, Rinehart and Co., 1948, pp. 71-75.
U.S., Office of Strategic Services, ibid.
U.S., Office of Strategic Services, $19:
Ebner, E., and Shaw, F. J. “An Investigation of Modes of

Responses to Contradictions,” Psychological Report,

 

1960, 6, 206.

Bills, R. E. Index of Adjustment and Values, Manual, Adult

 

Form.
Borgetta, E., and Mayer, H. J. “Make a Sentence List,”

Genetic Psychology, 1961, 63, 3-65.

 

APPENDIX A

LE TTE R QUE S TIONNAIRE

85

86

HOPE COLLEGE
Holland, Michigan
The Department of Psychology

Dear Counselor:
This research is being conducted by me, as a doctoral student,
under Dr. Walter F. Johnson of Michigan State University.

Would you be willing to take the following self-administered in-
ventories?

(a) Bills Index of Adjustment and Values
(b) Sentence Completion Test

A c0py of the findings and interpretations will be sent to you.

If you are willing to take part in this research, please complete
the following information and return it to me.

 

 

 

 

Name Age Sex

School City a

Counseling (check one) ( ) full time years
( ) part time years

Level of formal training in Counseling and Guidance:
Graduate hours
MA
MA+

 

l

 

Have you attended a N.D.A. Counseling Institute?

yes no when where

-—.——-

 

 

Thank you for your consideration and c00peration.

Cordially,

Robert S. Brown, Instructor

APPENDIX B

INDEX or ADJUSTMENT ANp VALUES AND

 

SENTENCE COMPLETION TE ST

 

87

88

Instructions for the IAV “SELF”

Take each term separately and apply it to yourself in three ways.
Select the number beside the phrase below that tells how much of
the time the statement is like you and insert in Column 1.

. Seldom
. Occasionally

Column I 1
2
3. About half of the time
4
5

 

 

. A good deal of the time
. Most of the time

 

 

Select the number beside the statement that tells how you feel
about the way you are and insert the number in Column 11.

Column II 1. I very much dislike being as I am in this
respect.
2. I dislike being as I am in this respect.
3. I neither dislike being as I am nor like
being as I am in this respect.
. I like being as I am in this respect.
5. I like very much being as I am in this re-
Spect.

A

Select the number beside the phrase that tells how much of the
time you would like to be this kind of a person and insert the
number in Column 111.

Column III 1. Seldom
2. Occasionally
3. About half of the time
4
5

 

 

. A good deal of thefitime
. Most of the time

 

 

Start with the word ACCEPTABLE and fill in Columns I, II, & III
before going on to the next word. There is no time limit. Be
honest with yourself so that your description will be a true meas-
ure of how you look at yourself.

89

 

HHH
tot-*9

academic
acceptable
accurate
alert
ambitious
annoying
busy

calm
charming
clever

competent

. confident
. considerate
13.

cruel

14. democratic

15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
.21.
22.
23.
24.

dependable
economical
efficient
fearful
friendly
fashionable
helpful
intellectual
kind
logical

N AME

II

25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.

meddlesome
merry
mature
nervous
normal
Optimistic
poised
purposeful
reasonable
reckless
res pons ible
sarcastic
sincere
stable
studious
successful
stubborn
tactful
teachable
useful
worthy

.———.

—_

broad-minded____

businesslike

competitive

*

-

fault-finding __

“SELF”

90

Instructions for the IAV “OTHERS”

Complete this index as you think the average school counselor
would complete it for himself. Follow the same procedures as
you did for yourself.

Column I

Column 11

Column III

1.
2.

3.

(”halve-4

“NH

Seldom is this like he sees himself.
Occasionally, this is the way he sees him-
self.

About half of the time, this is the way he
sees himself.

. A good deal of the time, this is the way

he sees himself.

. Most of the time, this is the way he sees

himself.

He very much dislikes being this way.
He dislikes being this way.
He neither dislikes or likes being this way.

. He likes being this way.

He very much likes being this way.

Seldom, would he like this to be him.

. Occasionally, he would like this to be him.
. About half the time, he would like this to

be him.

. A good deal of the time, he would like this

to be him.

. Most of the time, he would like this to be

him.

91

 

PPFPRPS‘PT‘?’

NNNNNHHHHHHHHHH
Qumrcomdamhwuh‘o

academic
acceptable
accurate
alert
ambitious
annoying
busy

calm
charming

clever

. competent
. confident

. considerate
. cruel

. democratic
. dependable
. economical
. efficient

. fearful

. friendly

. fashionable

helpful

. intellectual
. kind
. logical

NAME

III

25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.

meddlesome
merry
mature
nervous
normal
optimistic
poised
purposeful
reasonable
reckless
res pons ible
sarcastic
sincere
stable
studious
successful
stubborn
tactful
teachable
useful
worthy

broad-minded___
bus inesslike

competitive

fault-finding __

‘ ‘OTHERS ”

—_

~—

92

PERSONNEL ANALYSTS

Sentence Completion Test

 

Complete each of the following sentences with whatever comes to
mind--regardless of spelling, grammar, or whether or not it
“makes sense.” Write down your first impression. If you are
unable to complete an item, skip it, and go back to it later.
Work as quickly as you can.

1. The Sports I enjoy most are

2. My future

3. I dislike peeple who

4. Clerical details are something I

5. I am often thought of as being

6. When it comes to getting things done

7. PeOple who give orders

8. The main driving force of my life is

9. My head

C0pyright 1956
Personnel Analysts, Boston, Massachusetts

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

93

When I have to make a decision, I

My fondest ambition

I think most conferences

Getting started

Getting ahead

When criticized, I often

PeOple under me

It irks me when others

Physical exertion is something I

If only I wouldn’t

I work mainly for

When I have something to say

My legs

PeOple think of me as

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

94

Sometimes I feel that my boss

My judgment often

When in doubt, I

When they put me in charge, I

PeOple in authority

Having to talk to pe0ple is something I

When turned down I

Being rushed

Money is

To strangers I appear

I object to peeple who

I let off steam by

When it comes to the other guy

If I had one wish I would

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

95

After being called on the carpet I

PeOple work best when

My nerves

Security means

When work piles up, I feel like

What gets me into trouble is

As for my health

When luck turns against me I

Travelling around is something I

Secretly I

I find group discussions to be

My friends think of me as

When laughed at, I

When asked to speed up, I

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

63.

64.

65.

96

The worst thing a person could do is

To get along with others, one must

The weakest part of me

Being reSpons ible means

Having to handle business transactions is something I

My only trouble is

Having authority means

Nothing makes me more furious than

At the end of the day I

When I let go

I h0pe

Most employees expect a boss to

I think of myself as

When I meet people I generally feel

66.

6'7.

68.

69.

70.

71.

72.

73.

74.

75.

97

When it comes to telling someone off, I

I can’t stand someone who

When my request is refused, I

Putting me in charge

I wish I wouldn’t

A person must try to

Sometimes I feel bosses

I would quit a job if

When I see others doing better, I

Many regulations

APPENDD§ C

DISTRIBUTION OF INDEX OF ADJUSTMENT

 

AND VALUES DATA

 

98

99

TABLE C-1.--The distribution of concept of self scores (Column
I) for counselors (negative traits reversed).a

 

 

Score (0 Score (3
241 1 207 1
240 1 206 2
236 1 205 4
232 1 204 1
229 1 203 2
228 l 202 1
224 1 201 1
223 1 200 1
221 4 199 4
220 l 198 1
219 2 196 1
218 2 195 2
217 1 194 5
215 1 191 1
214 1 188 1
213 1 185 2
212 2 181 1
211 2 177 1
210 6 176 1

 

2"N = 64; x = 207.51; standard deviation = 14.17.

100

TABLE C-2.--The distribution of acceptance and self scores
(Column II) for counselors.a

 

 

Score (0 Score (fi
239 1 189 3
223 1 188 3
222 1 187 5
220 1 185 4
219 1 184 1
216 1 181 1
215 2 180 1
212 2 179 2
210 1 178 1
209 2 177 1
207 1 176 2
205 1 174 1
203 2 173 1
201 1 169 1
200 1 168 2
197 1 167 1
196 1 162 2
195 1 160 1
193 1 158 1
192 1 155 1
191 1 149 2
190 1 139 l

 

EN = 64; X = 188.48; standard deviation 22.97.

101

TABLE C-3.--The distribution of concept of ideal self scores (Col-
umn III) for counselors.a

 

 

Score (0 Score (0
250 1 225 3
247 2 224 1
244 1 223 6
243 3 222 3
241 1 220 2
240 3 219 1
238 1 215 1
237 2 214 2
236 2 213 2
235 1 211 1
233 3 209 1
232 3 208 1
231 1 207 1
230 2 206 1
229 1 204 2
228 2 203 1
227 3 195 1
226 1 147 1

 

2''N = 64; X = 225.00; standard deviation = 16.00.

102

TABLE C-4.--The distribution of self-discrepancy scores for
counselors.a

 

 

Score (f) Score (f)
70 1 26 2
50 1 24 3
47 1 23 1
44 l 22 2
43 1 21 1
41 1 20 4
39 3 19 3
38 4 17 2
36 1 16 l
35 4 15 2
32 6 14 2
31 3 13 2
30 2 11 3
29 1 7 1
27 2 6 1

 

aN = 64; X = 26.54; standard deviation = 12.36.

103

TABLE C-5.--The distribution of others (Column 1) scores for
counselors (negative traits reversed).a

 

 

Score (0 Score (0
248 1 218 1
256 1 217 2
245 1 216 1
241 1 215 2
240 1 214 2
238 1 213 2
236 2 212 1
235 1 211 1
234 1 210 3
233 1 208 2
232 2 206 4
231 1 205 1
230 1 204 1
228 1 202 2
227 1 199 2
226 3 198 1
225 2 194 1
223 1 189 1
222 2 183 2
221 4 182 1
220 1 177 1

 

3N = 64; x = 216.92; standard deviation = 15.90.

104

TABLE C-6.--The distribution of others (Column II) scores for
counselors.a

 

 

Score (0 Score (0
246 1 201 1
245 1 200 2
243 1 199 2
234 1 198 2
232 1 197 3
231 1 194 1
228 1 193 2
223 2 191 4
222 1 190 3
218 1 188 1
216 2 186 1
215 2 185 1
212 2 184 1
211 2 181 1
208 1 180 1
207 2 178 1
206 2 177 2
205 2 169 1
204 1 167 2
203 3 147 1
202 1

 

an = 64; x = 202.53; standard deviation = 18.60.

105

TABLE C-7.--The distribution of others (Column 111) scores for
counselors.a

 

 

Score (0 Score (0
247 l 227 3
246 1 226 2
245 1 225 2
244 2 223 1
243 1 222 2
242 1 221 2
241 2 220 2
239 1 219 1
238 5 218 3
236 4 217 1
235 4 214 2
234 1 213 1
233 1 211 1
232 1 209 1
231 2 208 1
230 1 204 1
229 3 203 1
228 4 193 1

 

aN = 64; x = 227.92; standard deviation = 11.87.

106

TABLE C-8.--The distribution of others discrepancy scores for
counselors.a

 

 

Score (f) Score (f)
61 1 21 1
51 2 20 1
50 l 19 1
49 l 18 1
44 1 17 l
35 1 15 2
34 1 13 3
33 1 12 3
32 1 11 3
31 2 10 4
30 1 9 3
29 1 8 3
28 3 6 1
27 3 5 2
26 2 4 1
25 1 3 1
23 4 2 1
22 1 1 4

 

an = 64; x = 19.84; standard deviation = 13.78.

107

TABLE C-9.--The distribution of verbs implying action used by
counselors on the Sentence Completion Test.

 

No. of
Verbs

A
h”
v

 

47
46
45
43
41
40
39
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
19

HHNMHHHAQQOMNQQNNQ’HHHHN

 

21N = 64; x = 34.07; standard deviation = 5.29.

108

TABLE C-10.--The distribution of verbs implying feeling used by
counselors on the Sentence Completion Test.a

 

 

No. of
Verbs

A
H:
V

 

56
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43

42
41
40
39
38

37
36
35
34
31
30
29
28
27
22

HHHHHHNANwaNQm-JHNHNQHNH

3LN = 64; x = 40.23; standard deviation 2 5.65.

APPENDIX D

GRAPHS OF MALE AND FEMALE AGE AND INDEX

 

OF ADJUSTMENT VALUES SCORE DATA

 

109

110

      

 

 

'6'0 65 7o

55

T

 

 

 

 

245 —,

AGE

7

4O 45 50

 

    

 

 

 

35

 

 

 

N 7
0 F
nlu 2 0 8
T 8
5 P I = E I
2 I
2 E N .X m l =
F H . R M P
L l .. FE U U MF N .X n
E N .X LP L O P L M P
L P S C G C S L O _
A w W . M w R _olI
M O R G . III
I C GL 4
|II|0|IIII —
‘lllllllllll’ll 1ll'l'llll'
CL —ll||‘lll
Illl
I001!
(I'lilonn I. 'III‘L-"|"I"
s. _
on I
counted-Ito IIIIIII-Ilnlllllll
IIIII h ‘
Jl'lllll
.Euuuuunu.ih....3.au. Illl'l
\— ‘luu7
3..

 

 

I85 4
I80 4
I75 -
I70 -
ues-I

 

meJmmZDOo wqdi

3O

 

25

 

Fig. D-1.--Index of Adjustment and Values (self) scores,

.6. I
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Fig. D-2.--Index of Adjustment and Values (self) scores,

female counselors.

APPENDIX E

FIGURE OF COMPARATIVE POPULATIONS

SCORES AND INDEX OF ADJUST-

 

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