Moving Toward, Moving Against, and Moving Away: An Interpersonal Approach to Construct Validation of the Horney–Coolidge Type Inventory

Abstract

Karen Horney’s interpersonal theory of adjustment defined three different neurotic trends involving characteristic social behavior and motives: compliant (moving toward people), aggressive (moving against people), and detached (moving away from people). The Horney–Coolidge Type Inventory (HCTI) was developed to assess these trends, but has not been validated using standard methods in the interpersonal perspective. The studies reported here refined the structure of the HCTI, and utilized the structural summary method (SSM) to identify relationships of the three shortened HCTI trend scales with the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) in single university (n = 514) and multisite university (n = 3,283) samples. Results across both studies confirmed predicted interpersonal characteristics of each trend: Compliance was associated with warm submissiveness, aggression was associated with hostile dominance, and detachment was associated with hostile or cold submissiveness. However, analyses of facets within the three HCTI trend domains revealed significant differences. Results are discussed as a potential guide to further refinement of assessments of the Horney maladaptive trends, and support inclusion of Horney’s model in current interpersonal theory.

Notes

1 R code for CFAs is provided in the online supplement.

2 Compliance was comprised of Items 1, 7, 10, 13, 22, 25, 31, 34, 37, 46, 52, and 55; aggression was comprised of Items 2, 8, 11, 14, 17, 38, 41, 44, 47, and 56; detachment was comprised of Items 3, 15, 18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 39, 42, 45, and 51 (Coolidge et al., 2001).

3 Results for post-hoc CFAs are presented in the online supplement.

4 Internal consistencies for each facet scale in Study 1 and Study 2 are presented in the online supplement.

5 For additional figures depicting facet scale IPC profiles, see online supplement.

6 Results for post-hoc CFAs are presented in the online supplement.

7 SSM tables for interpersonal style and goals of the rHCTI for each ethnic group are presented in the online supplement.

8 However, correlations between the HCTI and measures of distress show mixed support for the maladaptiveness of these trends, as compliance was weakly associated with emotional distress. See online supplement.

9 This was also evident by facet-level correlations with measures of emotional distress and social support and post hoc CFAs. See online supplement.

10 For further evidence, see correlations between compliance facets and emotional distress measures in the online supplement.

11 For more details, please see the online supplement.