Incomplete Sentences Blank Report

Maham Asad

Assessment-Industrial Psychology

University of Karachi
INTRODUCTION

The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (or RISB) is semi-structured projective technique
developed by Julian B. Rotter and Janet E. Rafferty in 1950 (Rotter & Rafferty, 1950). It aims to
detect psychological maladjustment in adolescents and adults through 40 incomplete sentence
items which the subject is asked to complete. It is assumed that the subject’s responses will
reflect his own desires, wishes, attitudes, and fear.

Thus, the responses are individually scored on a seven-point scale from 0 (most positive) to 6
(most conflict), where 3 is considered a neutral response (falling into neither the positive nor
negative category). Therefore, the overall adjustment score can range from 0 to 240, with 135
proposed as the cutoff score to distinguish between adjusted and maladjusted participants.

RISB is also found to have a split-half reliability of .84 when administered on 124 male college
students and .83 when tested on 71 female students. Even inter-scorer reliability between two
trained scorers was as high as .96 for 50 female responses and .91 for 50 male responses. It has
also been validated against 82 females and 124 males who were classified as either maladjusted
or adjusted.

BEHAVIOUR DURING ASSESSMENT

The client was given standardized verbal instructions before the test commenced. Once he
confirmed he understood what was needed to be done, he silently began reading the items and
recording his responses. He went through them quietly only taking a couple seconds to think
before writing his answer until he reached item no. 18 where he didn’t understand the meaning
of “nerves”. Even after providing him the dictionary meaning, the client maintained his stance
that he didn’t know how to respond to this item. Therefore, item 18 was an omission.

TEST RESULTS

Response Category Corresponding Score Obtained Score

Positive Response
P3 0 0*3 = 0
P2 1 1*7 = 7
P1 2 2*5 = 10
 Neutral
N 3 3*6 = 18
Conflict Response
C1 4 4*7 = 28
C2 5 5*10 (+1 for excessively long
answer) = 51
C3 6 6*1 = 6
Grand Total = 120

Omissions = 1 (Item no. 18)

* 120 = 123.1

Client’s total score: 123.1

Critical score: 135

TEST INTERPREATION

The client does not meet the cut-off criteria of RISB, and falls in the adjusted individual
category.

Analysis:

 Familiar Attitude

Client’s response related to the family portrays strong positive attitude. For example, Item No. 2:
The happiest time ……. I’ve spent was with my father. Item No. 35: My father …….is a hero for
me. Although his father passed away in 2015, the client holds him in high regard and views him
positively. Even in Item No. 38: Dancing …….is one of my most favourite physical activity
which according to the client, was what he also used to do with his father (refer to case history
“family history”).

He’s always been on excellent terms with both his parents, however, the client’s reported that he
was always closer to his mother than this father (refer to case study “family history”). This can
be seen through Item No. 11: A mother …….is a blessing. Item No. 4: Back home …….my
mother is waiting for me. Moreover, the client’s already dealt with one parental loss in 2015 and
few other close family members’ deaths throughout the years (refer to social development
history) and fears losing other family members too. For example, Item No. 13: My greatest fear
…….is losing my family. Even the client’s HFD test results demonstrated his dependence on his
mother (refer to HFD report), supporting client’s need for affiliation, nurturance and succorance
(refer to TAT report).

 Social and Sexual Attitudes

The client’s sentence completions provide a conflict overall regarding people, with friends being
an exception. Although an introvert, he depicts a positive perception towards his close friends
(refer to MBTI report). For instance, in Item No. 14: In school ……. I made a lot of friends. Item
No. 19: Other people ……. except for your friends try to benefit from you. In Item 10:
People…...judge others without knowing anything about them or their story. This portrays that
friends play an important part in the client’s life, which is also supported by case history where
he mentioned how how’s always gotten along with his peers and never got into any verbal or
physical fights (refer to case history “social/development history”).

However, the client’s harbors negative perceptions towards others, finds them judgmental and
not trustworthy. Even then, he twice mentions that it isn’t possible for him to hate anyone. Item
No. 15: I can’t…… hate anyone. Item No. 30 I hate……. no one. This conflict is supplemented
by the client’s TAT protocol which revealed loss vs. adjustment as one of his main significant
conflicts, along with loneliness vs. affiliation (refer to TAT report). Again, this is reflected in
another response of Item No. 3: I want to know…… if she still loves me. And Item No. 26:
Marriage……is a beautiful start of your new life. Although the client’s a single, unmarried male
despite wondering about someone missing him and his anxiety regarding lack or loss of love
(refer to TAT report), he views the institution of marriage in a positive light.

 General Attitudes

In general, the client shows conflicting attitudes towards academia. His regrets and struggles in
the academic context are fairly obvious as he says in Item No. 5: I regret……choosing
commerce, Item No. 21: I failed……a course recently, Item No. 34: I wish……that I had studied
at a better place since childhood, Item No. 29: What pains me……is not being able to achieve
my goals. Item No. 39: My greatest worry is……when will I start studying? All this points to
how he’s struggling with academics as a university student and wishes he could change his past
educational route. This aligns with client’s case history where he mentioned being academically
inclined and bright till 9th grade (the client’s SPM results indicated he’s intellectually superior,
refer to SPM report), after which his father passed away and he had a rocky academic life,
resulting in declining grades.

He’s also mentioned he could have done better overall but couldn’t due to lack of motivation and
concentration (refer to “Educational/job history”). Still, the client’s self-aware and knows he
needs to improve. For example: Item No. 12: I feel…...I should take charge of my life, Item No.
6: At bedtime……I want to develop a habit of reading, and Item No. 22: Reading…….is
something I want to start as a hobby. Irrespective of all this, he’s still hopeful for the future as he
responds in Item No. 24: The future……seems bright to me. This also supports client’s need for
achievement which was a dominant theme in his TAT protocol (refer to TAT report & HFD
report).

Additionally, themes of masculinity are also present through Item No. 16: Sports……is just like
adrenaline for me. Item No. 25: I need……to go to a gym. This checks with previous results that
have revealed physical inadequacy (refer to HFD report) and client’s response that he wishes he
was a bit taller and bulkier (refer to case history). Despite this, he responds in Item No. 32: I am
very……handsome, hopeful and smart.

 Character Traits

Client’s emotional states and anxiety are very dominant themes in his responses where he
mentions worrying, crying, and even suffering from migraines (refer to case history). In Item o.
20: I suffer…...from migraine. Item No. 27: I am best when……I’m relaxed. Item No. 28:
Sometimes……I worry a lot. Item No. 33: The only trouble……in my life is my thoughts. Item
No. 36: I secretly……. cry a lot. I…...want to feel happy. This reveals not only the client’s
anxious states but his unhappiness and maladjustment in this aspect of life. This is aligned with
his sad and regretful conception of the world (refer to TAT report).
The client also reveals how he finds rules annoying in Item No. 9: What annoy me…..is too
much rules and discipline. However, this conflicts with his MBTI results which indicated that he
is very rigid when it comes to rules and regulations and prefers following them.

Summary

The client has a generally positive attitude towards his family, especially his father and mother
both. In fact, one of his biggest fears is losing family members whom he holds close to his heart.
His loss of father in 2015 and many other factors has left his conception of world sad and
regretful as he also deals with themes of lack or loss of love, loneliness, and need for affiliation,
succorance, and nurturance. On the other hand, although his friends are very dear to him, he’s
very skeptic about other people whom he thinks aren’t trustworthy. Yet, he doesn’t hate anyone.

The client’s also very concerned about his academia and physical appearance as these are
recurring themes in his responses. His need for achievement and anxiety regarding physical
inadequacy, respectively, are highlighted. All in all, he’s deeply saddened and regretful about a
lot of things but still holds a hopeful approach in his life.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Although the RISB is also a projective technique, diving into the client’s unconscious, it would
be interesting to combine it with Rorschach to better understand the client’s personality
characteristics and emotional functioning. I think doing so will provide much needed insight into
his life and conflicts that were unveiled through RISB.
 References

Rotter, J. B. & Rafferty, J.E. (1950). The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank. Manual, College
Form. New York, NY: The Psychological Corporation.