Perceived Somatic Response Inventory: three scales developed by factor analysis

Studies of autonomic reactivity and of voluntary control of autonomic responses have suggested the importance of individual differences. An inventory of scales was developed to improve the assessment of different dimensions of somatic functioning. In order to enhance their specificity and incremental validity, the scales were constructed to be relatively independent of already known general personality variables such as Stress Reaction (neuroticism), Locus of Control, Hypochondriasis, and Absorption. Three scales, derived from orthogonal factor analyses, were developed and cross-validated: (1) Autonomic Response Frequency, assessing spontaneous fluctuations in autonomic responding; (2) Autonomic Response to Stress, assessing the amount of autonomic arousal perceived by a subject in stress situations; and (3) Somatic Response Control, a self-report measure of capacity to control both autonomic and fine muscle responses. The hypothesis that sympathetic and parasympathetic awareness might define two distinct dimensions was not supported by the data. The new scales will be useful in testing hypotheses of possible relationships among the factors measured and behavioral and psychophysiological indicators of the response to stress.