Criterion validity of a new measure of self-actualization

Psychol Rep. 1999 Dec;85(3 Pt 2):1167-76. doi: 10.2466/pr0.1999.85.3f.1167.

Abstract

Many authors have questioned the validity of the major existing measures of self-actualization (the Personal Orientation Inventory, the Personal Orientation Dimensions, and the Short Index of Self-actualization), given their serious theoretical and methodological limitations. A new inventory was developed, the Measure of Actualization of Potential, and various studies were conducted to assess its theoretical and empirical content as well as its construct validity, internal consistency, and temporal reliability. The present aim was to estimate the criterion validity of the new measure using humanistic clinical psychologists' assessments as the criterion. The results show that eight clinical psychologists' rankings of 73 individuals are positively and highly correlated with the scores obtained by the same individuals on the Measure of Actualization of Potential.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychology, Clinical
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Efficacy*