Development and Validation of a Six-Item Version of the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory. (April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McClintock, Andrew S.; McCarrick, Shannon M.; Anderson, Timothy; Himawan, Lina; Hirschfeld, Robert
• Is Part Of: Assessment. Volume 24:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 360
• Page End: 370
• Publication Date: 2017-04
• Subjects: interpersonal dependency -- measure refinement -- screener -- emotional dependency -- functional dependency; Psychological tests -- Periodicals; Psychodiagnostics -- Periodicals; Personality tests -- Periodicals; 150.287
• DOI: 10.1177/1073191115605178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1073-1911

Abstract

The Interpersonal Dependency Inventory (IDI) is a frequently used, 48-item measure of maladaptive dependency. Our goal was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a very brief version of the IDI. An exploratory factor analysis of the IDI in Study 1 ( N = 838) yielded a six-item IDI (IDI-6), with three items loading on an emotional dependency factor (IDI-6-ED), and the other three items loading on a functional dependency factor (IDI-6-FD). This factor solution was validated by confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 ( N = 916). The IDI-6-ED and IDI-6-FD demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity in Study 3 ( N = 100). In Study 4 ( N = 22-43), the IDI-6-ED and IDI-6-FD were generally stable over 4-week and 8-week intervals and were found to be responsive to the effects of psychological treatment. These results have implications for dependency conceptualizations and support the IDI-6 as a brief, psychometrically sound instrument.