Ego Function Assessment of substance abusers: standardization and reliability

This study examined the reliability of Ego Function Assessment in a self-report inventory which yields 12 function measures. 89 substance abusers in an urban treatment facility completed the inventory; 81 completed the inventory again after 2 wk. Test protocols of the first administration were assessed for interitem consistency utilizing a hierarchical algorithm which revised scales to yield optimal alphas. Retest scores were used to evaluate the stability of the 12 scales over 2 wk. Standardization, reliability, and stability data are presented for the original and revised scales. The possibility of response sets in the items are explored, and data patterns are discussed in terms of state vs trait issues in ego functioning.