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SACKSSENTENCECOMPLETIONTEST

NATUREOFTHETEST

Dr.JosephM.SacksandotherpsychologistoftheNewYorkVeteransAdministrativeMentalHygieneService
developedasentencecompletiontestdesignedtoobtainsignificantclinicalmaterialinfourrepresentative
areasofadjustmentnamely:familysexinterpersonalrelationshipselfconcept

Ithasfeltthatitemsincludedinthistestpresentsufficientopportunitiesforthesubjecttoexpresshisattitudes
sothatclinicalpsychologistmayinferhisdominantpersonalitytraits/trends.Suchinformationisusefulin
screeningpatientfortherapy,whichgivescluestocontentanddynamicsofpatientsattitudesandfeelings.

NATUREOFTHESCALEFAMILYThefamilyareaincludedthreesetsofattitudesnamely:a)thosetowards
mother,b)father,andc)familyunit.Itishopedthatevenwhenthesubjectbecomesevasiveorcautious,at
leastoneofthefouritemsineachareawillrevealsignificantresponse.

SEXThesexareaincludesattitudestowardswomanandheterosexualrelationship.The8itemsinthisarea
allowsthesubjecttoexpresshimselfwithregardstowoman,towardsmarriage,andwithrespecttosexual
relationship.

INTERERSONALRELATIONSHIPTheareaofinterpersonalrelationshipincludesattitudestowardsfriends
andacquaintances,colleaguesatworkorschool,superioratworkorschool,andpeoplesupervised.The16
itemsinthisareaaffordsthesubjecttoexpresshisfeelingstowardsthose.

SELFCONCEPTTheareaofselfconceptincludesfear,guiltfeelings,goalsandattitudestowardsonesown
ability,conceptofhimselfasheis,hewasandashehopestobe.Thereare24itemsincludedinthisarea.

SCORINGANDINTERPRETATIONAratingsheethasbeenadvisedfortheSSCTwhichbringstogether
undereachattitude,thefourstimulusitemandthesubjectsresponsestothem.

Forexample:

AttitudetowardsFatheritems:1.Ifeelthatmyfatherseldomworks.16.Ifmyfatherwoulddobetter.31.I
wishthatmyfatherisdead.46.Ifeelthatmyfatherisnogood.Thosefourresponsesareconsideredtogether
andinterpretativesummaryismadethatcrystallizesthecliniciansimpressionofthesubjectsattitudetowards
inthisarea.Inthiscase,thesummarystated:ExtremehostilityandcontemptorovertdeathwishesArating
ismadeofthesubjectsdegreeofdisturbanceinthisareaaccordingtothefollowingscale:

2SEVERELYDISTURBEDAppearstorequirethetherapeuticaidinhandlingemotionalconflictsinthis
area.1MILDLYDISTURBEDHasemotionalconflictinthisareabutappearsabletohandlethemwithout
therapeuticaid.0NoSignificantdisturbanceratedinthisareaXUnknown,Insufficientevidence

SacksandLevyfeelthatitismoredesirabletopointoutareasofdisturbanceanddeterminethesethrougha
constellationofresponse.Thevalidityoftheratingisdependentofcourseupontheclinicalbackgroundofthe
examineraswellasuponmaterialsproducedbythesubject.

Thefollowingarethesummariesandratingsoftheindividualattitudesandoutlinespresentedforageneral
summaryoftheSSCTfindings.Thisincludesthefollowing:

1.Statementofthoseareasinwhichsubjectshowsthemostdisturbedattitudes.Thismayprovidesignificant
cluesfortherapist.2.Adescriptionoftheinterrelationshipsbetweenattitudeswithrespecttocontent.This
oftenilluminatesdynamicfactorsinthecase.

CertaininfluencesonthesubjectspersonalitystructurecasebemadeonthebasisoftheSSCT,suchas:1.
Thesubjectsmannerofresponsetoimpulsefromwithinortostimulifromtheenvironment.2.Thesubjects
natureofresponsetostressimpulsiveorwellcontrolled.3.Thesubjectsthinkingcontent:realistic,artistic,
andfantastic.

InterpretationGuide

AttitudetowardsMother(14,29,44,59)2=Completelyrejectsanddepreciatesmotherwhomheconsiders
overdemanding.1=Seesmothersfaultbutacceptsandtoleratesdifferences.0=expressonlypositive

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feelingstowardsthemother.

AttitudetowardsFather(1,16,31,46)2=feelsextremehostilityandcontemptwithovertdeathwishes.1=
admiresfatherbutwishesthattheirrelationshipwerecloser.0=expressescompletesatisfactionwithfathers
personality.

AttitudetowardsFamilyUnit(2,27,42,57)2=feelsrejectedbythefamilywhichlackssolidarityandwhich
hasconstantlycontendedwithdifficulties.1=awarethatthefamilydoesnotrecognizehimasamature
personbuthasnodifficultyinrelatingwiththem.0=instabilityofthefamilydomicilehashadlittleeffectonhis
favorablefeelingtowardsthem.

AttitudetowardsWomen(10,25,40,55)2=extremelysuspicious,possiblehomosexualtendency1=high
ideasbutambivalentfeelings.0=onlyminororsuperficialcriticisms

AttitudetowardsHeterosexualRelationship(11,26,41,56)2=appearstohavegivenupachievinggoodsexual
adjustment1=deservedsexualexperiencesbutreservationabouthisabilitytomaintainmaritalrelationship.0
=indicatessatisfactiontowardsthisarea

AttitudetowardsFriendsandAcquaintances(8,23,38,53)2=suspiciousandapparentlyseclusive1=seems
towaitapprovalofothersbeforecommittinghimselfemotionally0=expressmutualrelationshipwithfriends
andself

AttitudetowardsPeopleSupervised(4,19,34,58)2=feelshecanhandleorcontrolhostilityinhandlingothers
1=feelscapableofdoinggoodsupervisorybuthasmisgivingsaboutassuminganauthoritarianrole.0=feels
controllableandwellacceptedbysubordinates.

AttitudetowardsSupervisorsatworkorSchool(6,21,36,51)2=resentsorfearauthority1=milddifficultyin
acceptingdifficulty0=

AttitudetowardsColleagueatwork/school(13,28,43,58)2=feelsrejectedbycolleagues,andcondemns
them1=hassomedifficultyatworkanddependsoncolleagues0=expressesgoodmutualfeelings

Fear(7,22,37,52)2=disturbedbytheapparentfearofloving,possibilitytocontrolhisfeelings1=fearofself
assertionwhichisfairlycommonandnotpervasive.0=lackoffear

GuiltFeelings(15,30,45,60)2=concernedwithspiritualfeelingandphysicalsexdrives1=hasregretover
pastandseemsmildlydisturbedbyhisfailuretocontrolhistrouble.0=doesnotseemtobeawareofguilt
feelings

AttitudetowardsOwnAbility(2,7,32,47)2=feelscompletelyincompetentandhopeless1=feelshehasa
specificabilitybuttendstofeardifficulty0=confidentonhisabilitytoovercomeobstacles

AttitudetowardsPast(9,24,39,54)2=feelsrejectedandisolated1=0=feelswelladjusted,nosignificant
disturbanceinthepast

AttitudetowardstheFuture(5,20,35,50)2=pessimistic,nohopeinhisownresourcesforhappinessand
success1=unsureofhimselfbuttriestobeoptimistic0=seemsconfidentinachievinghisgoals

Goals(3,18,53,49)2=lackofmotivationforachievement1=desiresmaterialthingsforfamilyaswellasfor
himself0=

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