Preliminary Validation of a Measure of Interpersonal Problems: A Study of Personality Pathology in Depressed Older Inpatients

Abstract

This preliminary study sought to determine the psychometric properties of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Personality Disorders (IIP-PD-25) in a middle-aged to older adult sample in which personality pathology is common. Depressed inpatients (N = 62) between 55 and 92 years (M = 67.60, SD = 8.75) were administered self-report questionnaires to measure personality traits (NEO Five-Factor Inventory), interpersonal processes (IIP-PD-25), depression (Geriatric Depression Scale), and social role impairment (Social Adjustment Scale-Self-Report). We investigated whether the IIP-PD-25 has convergent validity with these measures. After adjusting for covariates, IIP-PD-25 scores were associated with greater depression (ß = .459, p < .001), greater social role impairment (ß = .374, p = .004), greater neuroticism (ß = .614, p < .001), and less agreeableness (ß = −.260, p = .035). Three-fourths of the IIP-PD-25 subscales also showed convergent validity with these constructs in the predicted directions. Based on these findings, the IIP-PD-25 is valid for purposes of capturing interpersonal and personality pathology in a depressed, older inpatient population.

Keywords

depression geriatric assessment interpersonal relationships personality social roles

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