Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 26, 2025
10:32
Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
18.8K
Construction and Validation of a Self-report Subjective Emptiness Scale
Adrian L Price1, Heike I M Mahler1, Christopher J Hopwood2
1California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, USA.
Assessment
|December 9, 2020
Summary
This study developed and validated the Subjective Emptiness Scale, a brief measure for assessing feelings of emptiness. Findings show it
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Subjective emptiness is a key symptom in borderline personality disorder.
- However, its clinical significance may extend beyond this diagnosis.
- A validated, standalone measure for subjective emptiness is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a standalone self-report measure of subjective emptiness.
- To assess the psychometric properties of the new scale.
- To examine the construct validity of subjective emptiness.
Main Methods:
- Systematic item generation and expert/patient review.
- Scale administration to large student and clinical samples (N > 2500).
- Factor analysis and internal consistency assessments.
Main Results:
- A concise, five-item Subjective Emptiness Scale was developed.
- The scale demonstrated good internal consistency and unidimensionality.
- External validity confirmed strong associations with internalizing symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The Subjective Emptiness Scale is a reliable and valid measure.
- Subjective emptiness is a clinically significant construct independent of borderline personality disorder.
- The scale can aid in assessing and understanding emptiness across diverse clinical presentations.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.7K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.7K
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
584
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
584
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
148
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
148
01:29Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
147
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
147
01:27Need for Self-Esteem
109
The human need for self-esteem has long intrigued psychologists, leading to the development of several theories that explore its evolutionary and functional significance. Among the most influential are the sociometer, hierometer, and terror management theories. Each offers a unique perspective on why people strive for self-worth and how it shapes behavior and social interaction.Sociometer TheoryAccording to sociometer theory, self-esteem functions as an internal gauge of social acceptance. It...
109
01:24Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring
94
Self-monitoring is a central construct in understanding individual differences in self-presentation strategies across social contexts. It refers to how individuals observe, regulate, and control their expressive behavior and self-presentation following situational cues. Self-monitoring reflects a person's sensitivity to social appropriateness and willingness to adapt behavior to fit varying interpersonal demands.High vs. Low Self-Monitoring IndividualsIndividuals high in self-monitoring are...
94