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Reliability and validity of four anger scales
Journal of Personality Assessment
|December 1, 1981
Summary
The Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) and Reaction Inventory (RI) show good test-retest reliability for measuring anger. The Anger Self Report (ASR) has fair reliability, while the Anger Inventory (NI) demonstrates poor reliability.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Assessing anger reliably is crucial for clinical and research applications.
- Existing anger scales require rigorous evaluation of their psychometric properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the test-retest reliability and predictive validity of four anger assessment tools: the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), Reaction Inventory (RI), Anger Self Report (ASR), and Anger Inventory (NI).
Main Methods:
- 60 student volunteers completed the four anger inventories twice over a two-week period.
- Participants also maintained a Personal Incidents Record and underwent laboratory anger provocations (imaginal and role-play).
- Physiological readings and self-reported anger arousal were assessed post-provocation.
Main Results:
- The BDHI and RI demonstrated good test-retest reliability.
- The ASR showed fair reliability, whereas the NI exhibited poor reliability.
- ASR subscales had good predictive validity; RI and BDHI showed some predictive ability for anger experience, but BDHI subscales lacked specificity. The NI did not correlate with criterion measures.
Conclusions:
- The BDHI and RI are reliable instruments for anger assessment.
- The ASR offers moderate reliability and good predictive validity for specific anger-related constructs.
- The NI is not recommended due to its poor reliability and lack of predictive validity.