A test of mental instability

Abstract

A review of previous work done with questionnaire tests (such as the Woodworth, Thurstone, Bernreuter) of "mental instability" does not reveal adequate validity. Two new questionnaires were constructed employing 3 criteria: (1) "an atypical answer to each question must occur in less than 25 per cent of the total group tested; (2) the set of questions must be highly consistent; and (3) each question must show definite value in discriminating between groups of college students classified on non-test bases (five-fold rating during interview) as 'stable' and 'unstable."' Statistically reliable differences were found in mean scores between a group of 58 "stable" and 17 "unstable" college students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)