Does the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) Differ from the Comprehensive System (CS) on Variables Relevant to Interpretation?

Comparing the Validity of the Rorschach Performance Assessment System and Exner's Comprehensive System to Differentiate Patients and Nonpatients

Building on the comparative nonpatient study of Pianowski et al., we examine data from the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) and Comprehensive System (CS) in 100 nonpatients and 100 patients, 50 of each per system. Replicating their results but now in a patient sample, R-PAS produced more patient protocols having an optimal number of responses (R) for interpretation and eliminated the need for readministration due to low R. The R-PAS protocols were also much less variable in R, despite having about 2.5 more responses. Extending their results, we document that the primary markers of psychopathology in each system validly differentiate patients from nonpatients. However, R-PAS produced stronger effects. Finally, Complexity added to the valid discrimination of patients from nonpatients just for R-PAS, with patients producing less complex and rich records. The more erratic variability in R for the CS produced larger Complexity standard deviations (SDs) that obscured these genuine differences in people. We discuss implications for research and applied practice, along with directions for future research.

Only an inkblot? A literature review of the neural correlates of the Rorschach inkblot test

The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical psychological and psychiatric settings. Recordings of brain activity during the administration of the Rorschach inkblots test could provide information on neural correlates of the underlying perceptual-cognitive processing and potentially identify neuroimaging markers of psychopathology risk. The present paper offers a systematization of the available literature on the Rorschach inkblot test and neuroimaging research. The 13 selected studies had been conducted with healthy participants and using fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS to investigate the neural underpinnings of Rorschach inkblot test responses. The neural processes underlying the visual, social, and emotional processes described by the included papers are systematically summarized. Research on the neural correlates of the Rorschach inkblot test is promising and would further benefit from studies on clinical populations, broader samples, and younger age groups.

Convergence in a multi-method study between Rorschach and self-report data of traumatized refugees assessed before and after psychotherapy

Rorschach and self-report instruments represent methodologically different types of assessment, which together may yield incremental information about the test-taker. There is little evidence on whether and when results from these methods converge.

OBJECTIVE

To examine possible convergences between Rorschach trauma-related personality variables and self-reported variables.

METHOD

Before and after psychotherapy 22 traumatized adult refugee patients were assessed with the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS), symptom checklists of posttraumatic stress, anxiety and depression, and a quality of life questionnaire. Correlational analyses between eight R-PAS variables and 10 self-reported variables were performed.

RESULTS

The findings showed inconsistent and nonsignificant correlations pretherapy. Posttherapy, however, all R-PAS variables except Complexity correlated positively with symptoms of mental disorder, and negatively with the quality of life variables, as predicted. The R-PAS variables Mutuality of Autonomy-Pathology, Poor Human Representation, Critical Content, and Form Quality-minus%, converged significantly with most of the self-reported variables, with medium to large correlations.

CONCLUSION

The finding of convergence only after psychotherapy, may tentatively suggest greater self-knowledge and internal consistency through the therapy experience, and increased trust and self-disclosure through the repeated meetings with the researchers. The findings represent a promising contribution to a cumulative validation process of convergence between Rorschach and self-report data.

Legal Admissibility of the Rorschach and R-PAS: A Review of Research, Practice, and Case Law

The special issue editors selected us to form an "adversarial collaboration" because our publications and teaching encompass both supportive and critical attitudes toward the Rorschach and its recently developed system for use, the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS). We reviewed the research literature and case law to determine if the Rorschach and specifically R-PAS meet legal standards for admissibility in court. We included evidence on norms, reliability, validity, utility, general acceptance, forensic evaluator use, and response style assessment, as well as United States and selected European case law addressing challenges to mental examination motions, admissibility, and weight. Compared to other psychological tests, the Rorschach is not challenged at unusually high rates. Although the recently introduced R-PAS is not widely referenced in case law, evidence suggests that information from it is likely to be ruled admissible when used by a competent evaluator and selected variables yield scores that are sufficiently reliable and valid to evaluate psychological processes that inform functional psycholegal capacities. We identify effective and ethical but also inappropriate uses (e.g., psychological profiling) of R-PAS in criminal, civil, juvenile, and family court. We recommend specific research to clarify important aspects of R-PAS and advance its utility in forensic mental health assessment.

The Validity of the Holtzman Inkblot Technique: New Indices

Objective: The present study examines the validity of 11 new Holtzman Inkblot Technique indices. These were chosen from Exner’s Comprehensive System (RCS) indices using two criteria: first, they had to be valid according to meta-analysis, and second, they must be computed using the HIT standard scoring system.

Methods: Both techniques were administrated with a retest interval from 1 to 7days to a sample of 139 subjects (63 males and 76 females) from the general population. The validity of the new indices was studied through Pearson correlation (r) with the corresponding RCS indices.

Results: Nine of the 11 new indices (R-HIT, F%-HIT, M-HIT, m-HIT, C'-HIT, Blends-HIT, PureH-HIT, DQ+HIT, and X-%-HIT) showed significant correlations with Rorschach scales, confirming our hypotheses. The correlation ranged from a minimum of 0.144 to a maximum of 0.414.

Conclusions: The results provide support for the validity of the new HIT indices and have important implications for both clinical and research fields.

Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) Interrater Reliability in a Brazilian Adolescent Sample and Comparisons With Three Other Studies

We examine interrater reliability for scoring the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) in a sample of 89 adolescents (M_Age = 13.2, SD = 1.01) from Brazil using exact agreement intraclass correlations coefficient (ICCs) for the 60 protocol-level scores that are the focus of interpretation. The first author completed or reviewed all of the primary coding, and seven R-PAS proficient psychologists trained at different sites independently produced secondary coding. Overall, excellent agreement was found (M ICC = 0.89; SD = 0.09). When averaged across this study and three other comparison studies, stronger reliability was present, in general, for commonly coded variables (M = 0.87) as opposed to rare or infrequent variables (M = 0.78). In addition, 78.3% of the variables showed excellent interrater reliability and an additional 20.0% had good reliability. The results also showed that the ICCs for most variables had low variability across studies, suggesting clear coding guidelines. However, variables with higher ICC variability across studies indicated domains where it would be desirable to expand guidelines with more detailed parameters. Overall, the findings indicate excellent interrater reliability for the great majority of codes and present solid grounds for future research on interrater reliability with R-PAS.