THE RELIABILITY OF A SINGLE SZONDI PROFILE DAVID COLE

Occidental College

PROBLEM -4ND RESULTS In their writings on the Szondi Test, both Deri and Szondi stress the import-

ance of obtaining a series of profiles from an individual subject before the results may be used validly for personality description. Deri(l), in a recent article has shown that while normal subjects show more consistency between their first and second test profiles than is true for disturbed patients, nevertheless even for normals changes may be anticipated.

Despite such warnings, one hears reference to Szondi interpretations based upon only one administration. In order to gain a better overview of the potential validity in such a procedure, the author has analyzed the Szondi profiles of eighty-six college students, all functioning adequately in a college environment, with a view to com- paring the profiles for the first and second administration of the test. The results are summarized in the tables.

TABLE 1. FACTORS CHANGING DIRECTION BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND ADMINISTRATIONS

Number of Frequency factors changing

0 0 1 4 2 15

7 1 0

TABLE 2. FREQUENCY, OF CHANGE IN EACH SZONDI FACTOR

Factor Frequency of change

H 44 S 44 E 50 Hv 42 K" P D M

38 30 29 35

TABLE 3. NATURE OF CHANGES OCCURRING

Change Plus to Minus Plus to Open Plus to Ambivalent Minus to Plus Minus to Open Minus to Ambivalent Open to Plus Open to Minus Open to Ambivalent Ambivalent to Plus Ambivalent to Minus Ambivalent to Open

Frequency 16 34 28 18 40 23 35 48 6 19 26 13

384 DAVID COLE

A review of these data reveals that these behaviorally “normal” subjects have so varied their responses between the first and second Szondi administrations as to rather notably change the personality picture which might be drawn from either profile considered separately. The frequency of changes noted here is considerably greater than those noted by Deri in the article cited above. Deri indicates that emotionally disturbed patients will display even greater test-retest variation than is found in clinically normal subjects. I n view of these data, the possibility of drawing legitimate implications from a single Szondi profile would appear to be nil.

SUMMARY This study seeks to determine the reliability of a single Szondi profile by com-

paring the profiles for the first and second administrations of the test in a group of 86 college students. The results indicate that normal subjects show such varied res- ponses on succeeding test administrations that no reliable conclusions can be drawn. It is concluded that the results of single administrations of the Szondi test are not reliable.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. DERI, SUSAN K., “The Szondi Test, I t s Application in a Research Study of Depressive Patients

Before and After Electric Shock Treatment,” in Abt and Bellnk: Projective Psychology. New York: Alfred A. Iinopf, 1950.