Test: Rotter’s Incomplete Sentence Blank Test

Demographics

Name A.S

Age 32

Sex Male

Education B.com

No. of siblings 3(1 brother, 2 sisters)

Birth order 3

Marital status Married

Religion Islam

Occupation Farmer

Informant Client’s wife and mother

Reason for referral

Client had psychological issue, Client suffered with Sleep disturbance, drowsiness,
tolerance, repeated relationship problems, withdrawal due to which he was reffered to psychiatric
department by his physician for psychological assessment and treatment.

Presenting complaints

According to client
 Duration Symptoms

‫ سال سے‬3 ‫نشہ چهوڑنے کی کوشش کی ليکن نہيں چهوڑ پأتأ۔‬

‫سال سے‬3 ‫بے چينی رہتی ہے۔‬

‫سال سے‬2 .‫بهوک کم لگتی ہے‬
‫ سال سے‬1 ‫نيند ٹهيک سے نہيں آتی۔‬

History of present illness

According to the client, he was spending a very happy life with his family. They moved

to Lahore after the death of his father when he was 6 years old. His father was died in a murder
and after the death of his father they moved to Lahore from village. He missed his father very
much. He was attached to her mother. His mother wanted to save her children from enemies. He
came to his village only for a day because he had many fields in village. Before marriage life was
good. He married at the age of 26. It was a love marriage. His wife basically belongs to village.

After marriage, his wife took him to village by convincing him to own his fields. His mother
not came with them. He misses her mother. In village he needs security to beware from enemies,
therefore he has hire body guards for his security. He spends much time with body guards and
friends. But one day when he went to fields and met with body guards they offered him alcohol
and opiates he refused but on the request of friends and guards he intake the drug. At start, he only
takes one or two sip of alcohol but gradually he takes opiates, heroine and alcohol. Now he was
fully involved in drugs. The client felt drowsiness, weak, vomited. He was tried not to intake drugs
again but the drugs tolerate with his body. His condition became worse day by day. In start, he was
only used to intake drugs but slightly he was started to inject. He became mentally disturbed,
physically weak. His daily routine activities destroyed and the relation with his family disturbed.
Now he wanted to leave drugs, want to recover and live happily.

Rotter’s Incomplete Sentence Blank Test

Introduction
 A verbal semi-projective technique Rotter’s incomplete sentence blank has been widely
employed in both research and clinical practice. Generally, the opening words permit an almost
unlimited variety of possible completions the sentences stems are frequently formulated so as to
elicit responses relevant to the personality domain under investigation. The incomplete sentences
blank consists of forty items revised from a form used by rotter and willer man in the army. This
form was, in turn, a revision of blanks used by shor, hutt and holzberg at the mason general
hospital.

Objectives to use test

In the development of the isb, two objectives were kept in mind. One aim was to provide a
technique which could be used objectively for screening and experimental purposes. It was felt
that this technique should have at least some of the advantages of projective methods, and also be
economical from the point of view of administration and scoring. It is also useful for obtaining
information of rather specific diagnostic value for treatment purposes. It was not an objective to
construct a measure that would describe the “whole personality ”nor necessarily to expose the
“deep layers ”of personality or the “fundamental structure” it was also designed to some time for
the clinician and to allow him to structure his first interviews advantageously before he had spent
a great deal of time with a patient .

The incomplete sentences blank can be used, of course, for general interpretation with a
variety of subjects in much the same manner that a clinician trained in a dynamic psychology uses
any projective material. However, a feature of the isb is that one can derive a single overall
adjustment score. This overall adjustment score is of particular value for screening purposes with
college students and in experimental studies.

Reliability and validity

It has split-half reliability of .84 when based on the records of 124 male college students, and .83
when based on 71 female students. Inter-scorer reliability for two scorers trained by the authors
was .91 when based on 50 male records, and .96 for 50 female records. It has good validity.

Administration
The test was individually administered. The examinee was seated and instructed as to the purpose
of the test. The Rotter’s incomplete sentence blank, consisting of 40 sentence stems , was given to
the examinee and asked to finish each sentence for which the first words were supplied .there was
no time limit for this test .when she had finished her job, the record form was taken back from
her.The whole responses were read carefully and then consulting by scoring manual each response
was categorized and was given a numerical value from 0-6, according to the category to which it
belonged.

The responses were categorized as conflict, positive or neutral. The responses indicating
unhealthy or maladjusted frame of mind including hostility reactions, pessimism, symptom
elicitation, hopelessness, suicidal wishes, unhappy experiences and past maladjustments were
categorized as conflict. These conflict responses were ranged from c1 to c3 according to the
severity of the conflict or maladjustment expressed. The numerical weights given to the conflict
responses were c1=4, c2=5 and c3=6.

Whereas the responses indicating a healthy or hopeful frame of mind, optimistic thinking,
acceptance reactions and humorous or flippant remarks were considered positive. All positive
responses were ranged from p1 to p3 depending on the degree of good adjustment. The given
numerical weights for the positive responses were p1=2, p2=1, p3=0.

There were also some such responses falling not clearly into either of the above categories
were considered neutral. Neutral responses largely based on simple descriptive level, stereotypes,
catch phrases, song titles and expression of the common culture clichés. All the neutral responses
were scored above all these categories, another category of omission responses, based on
incomplete thought or no response, is not scored. There was no omission in the test performance
of my examinee so the formula ( 40/40-omissions) for the prorating of the unevaluated items
could not be used.

After assigning a numerical weight according to the reported categories a total score was made
for quantitative analysis. It was assumed that the subject reflects her own wishes, desires, fears and
attitudes in the sentences she makes.

Instructions for test

 The subject was instructed as follows:

“your task is to complete each sentence for which the first words are supplied. Complete these
sentences to express your real feelings. Try to do everyone. Be sure to make a complete sentence“.

Behavioral Observation

The client was 32 years old. He was motivated during the test, but he was little bit
confused. Rapport was easily established. He was alert and completely cooperated. He was keen
to know the results of the test at the end.

Quantitative Analysis

Table No. 1.1

Table shows quantitative results of client on RISB.

Types of items No.of responses Obtained scores

Positive

P 1= 2 7 14
P2=1 4 4
P3=1 0 0
Neutral

N= 3 4 12

Conflict

C 1= 4 1 4
C2=5 11 55
C 3= 6 12 72
Cut off score = 135 obtained scores = 161

Qualitative Analysis
Familial Attitude

The attitude of the client towards his family was good. In item 1, he said that he likes many
things; he showed love for many things. He feared that his children future was in danger due to his
drug addiction. In item 13 is that his drug will lead him to insecure future that will disturb child
life. He shared feelings of love for his parents as suggested by item no. 11 that a mother is beautiful
relation and in item no. 35 his father was good and stop him from drugs.

Social and Sexual Attitude

Patient had fine feelings towards people around him as represented by item 19 that all
people are good or bad. He was married and was satisfied by his mother life and he tell about
children as it looks as indicated in item 26 by saying that marriage is a good life. He expresses her
views about opposite sex as represented in item no. 7 that all men are not good as his father was.
And he also said that people are not too bad not too good as indicated in item no. 10. He also
doesn’t like fighting as suggested by the item no. 9. In item no. 19 he also suggested people are
not good as because his friends and bodyguards made him addicted to drugs so, he don’t believe
on people right now. It is conflicted response. His biggest fear is drugs as suggested by the item
no. 39. Overall, his social attitude is conflicted and he looks somewhere maladjusted in this area.

General Attitude

Client’s general attitude towards himself was fine with extreme distress due to presence
illness. He had insight about his illness and wanted to get rid of it suggested by item 3, 20, 23 that
he wants to know that his wife is happy with him or not, he is addicted to drugs and he is mentally
ok or not. His greatest fear is the habit of drug addiction. He “likes driving” is neutral positive
response as suggested by item no. 1. In item no. 17 he said that in his childhood he had watched
T.V a lot. He wanted his future to be bright as item no 24 shows. In item no. 27 he is the best when
he earns and took something to home.

Personal Character/Traits

Client was in feeling of guilt as shown in item 37(he is not a good person) due to drug
addiction. In item 32 shows that he usually remains in a sad mood as suggested in item 32 he is
always disturbed. A great proportion of his thoughts were occupied by his illness and wanted to
get rid of it as cited in 39 his greatest problem is drug addiction. He was hopeful in item 24, that
future will be good; there will be no tensions in future.

Results

The client obtained 161 scores on RISB which indicates that he has adjusted problems.

References

Julian .B. R., & Janet. E. R. (1959). “The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Beank”.