THE ADJUSTMENT INVENTORY

ADULT FORM

By HUGH M. BELL
Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.
Palo Alto, California
____________________________________________________________________________

The ADULT FORM of the ADJUSTMENT INVENTORY provides five (5) separate measure of personal and
social adjustment.

a. HOME ADJUSTMENT. Individuals scoring high tend to be unsatisfactorily adjusted to their home
surroundings. Low scores indicate satisfactory home adjustment.
b. HEALTH ADJUSTMENT. High scores indicate unsatisfactory health adjustment; low scores --
satisfactory adjustment.
c. SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT. Individuals scoring high tend to be submissive and retiring in their social
contacts. Individuals with low scores are aggressive in social contacts.
d. EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT. Individuals with high scores tend to be unstable emotionally. Persons
with low scores tend to be emotionally stable.
e. OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENT. Individuals with high scores tend to be dissatisfied with their
present occupation. Those who make low scores tend to be well pleased with their present job.

Use of the Inventory

The Inventory has been successful when used as an aid in counseling adults whose personal problems
pertain to any of the cateories included in the test. It is suitable for use with both sexes. The high
reliabilitiesof the separate measures make possible comparison of one individual with another. The
measurement of five types of adjustment by the one blank permits location of specific adjustment
difficulties. The use of the small letters a, b, c, d, and e, corresponding to the fivemeasures of
adjustment, as well as the numbers, enables the counselor to discover readily the particular questions
relating to each measure. The total score may be used to indicate the general adjustment status.

Instructions for Administration

1. The Inventory is self-administering. To ensure careful reading of the instructions, the examiner should
read the instructions appearing on the first page of the blank aloud while the individuals being
tested are reading them silently.
2. There is no time limit. Ordinarily not more than twenty-five minutes are required for all
individuals to complete the inventory.
3. Each individual being tested should interpret the questions for himself. However, questions about
the meaning of words may be answered by the examiner.
4. The examiner should make every effort to secure complete cooperation of all persons filling in
the blanks. He should indicate the value of the results to the individuals and assure them that the
scores will be treated with the strictest confidence.
5. If questions concerning the purpose and use of the test arise, they should be answered frankly
and honestly.
6. Unless individuals ask why the letters and numbers are placed before the question, nothing need be
said about them. If a question is raised, the examiner should state that they correspond to the
letters on the first page of the inventory and are used in analyzing test results.

Instructions for Scoring

The Inventory can be accurately scored in four minutes. Thus, to obtain the score on HOME
ADJUSTMENT, take the scoring stencil entitled HOME and lay the column for page two on page two of
the Inventory so that the "2" at the top and at the bottom of the stencil are superimposed upon the
corresponding figures of the test. Then count the number of instances where the vertical marks on the
scoring stencil fall immediately over a circle on the test, writing this total at the bottom of the page two
or keeping it in memory. Then similarly apply the column on the stencil for page three to the third page
of the Inventory and the column for page four to the fourth page. Write opposite "a" in the column
entitled SCORE on the first page of the blank the total of the three pages thus derived. Obtain the score
for HEALTH, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, and OCCUPATIONAL adjustments in the same manner. Do not score
the question marks.

Norms

The interpretation of the individual scores is made more meaningful by the use of certain descriptive
designations. However, the difference between two descriptive terms should not be overemphasized,
since a difference of only one point frequently determines whether a score falls under one heading or
another.

If the counselor reports scores to persons who have taken the test, he/she should use caution in giving
out results to those who have evidenced unsatisfactory adjustment. For unless something is done to
help the person overcome his/her maladjustment, he/she will benefit little or none merely from being
told of it.

The results of the HEALTH ADJUSTMENT section should not be considered not as taking the place of a
medical examination but rather as a possible preliminary to such an examination. Unsatisfactory scores
on this section of the Inventory may indicate the need for a physical examination by a physician.

NORMS FOR ADULTS

(Interpretation)
____________________________________________________________________________
Adjustment Description Score Ranges
Men (194) Women (274)
____________________________________________________________________________
Home Excellent 0-1 0-1
Good 2-3 2-3
Average 4-11 4-12
Unsatisfactory 12-16 13-17
Very Unsatisfactory Above 16 Above 17
____________________________________________________________________________
Health Excellent 0-1 0-1
Good 2-3 2-4
Average 4-8 5-9
Unsatisfactory 9-13 10-14
Very unsatisfactory Above 13 Above 14
____________________________________________________________________________
Social Very aggressive 0-2 0-4
Aggressive 3-6 5-8
Average 7-15 9-19
Retiring 16-20 20-24
Very retiring Above 20 Above 24
____________________________________________________________________________
Emotional Excellent 0-1 0-2
Good 2-3 3-6
Average 4-11 7-15
Unsatisfactory 12-15 16-20
Very unsatisfactory Above 15 Above 20
____________________________________________________________________________
Occupational Excellent 0-1 0-1
Good 2-4 2-4
Average 5-13 5-13
Unsatisfactory 14-17 14-17
Very unsatisfactory Above 17 Above 17
____________________________________________________________________________
Total Score Excellent 0-8 0-16
Good 9-21 17-30
Average 22-47 31-58
Unsatisfactory 48-60 59-71
Very unsatisfactory Above 60 Above 71
____________________________________________________________________________

The OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENT section will be of value only with persons who are working for an
employer at the time they take the test. Unemployed individuals and housewives should be scored only
for HOME, HEALTH, SOCIAL, and EMOTIONAL adjustments.

The norms are given for adults of both sexes. The individuals range in age from 20 to 50 years with the
majority falling between 25 and 40. In determining the norms for OCCUPATIONAL adjustment,
housewives and the unemployed were eliminated. The scores were obtained from the following places
--- Adult Extension classes in Los Angeles, California and Madison, New Jersey; Counseling Services of
Seattle, Washington; Young Men's Christian Association; the Practice School of Chicago, Illinois; Young
Women's Christian Association; and adult classes in Industrial Psychology in Boston, Massachusetts.

MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR POPULATION UPON WHICH NORMS ARE BASED
____________________________________________________________________
Adjustment Men (194) Women (274)
M SD M SD
_____________________________________________________________________
Home 7.42 6.20 8.26 6.24
Health 5.28 4.21 6.18 4.24
Social 11.38 6.32 14.12 7.20
Emotional 7.70 5.45 11.00 7.16
_____________________________________________________________________

Reliability

The coeffcients of reliability for each of the five sections of the Inventory and for its total score are
reported. These were estimated by correcting the odd-even items and applying the Spearman-Brown
prophecy formula. The subjects were employed men and women between the ages of 23 and 28.

COEFFICIENTS OF RELIABILITY (N=84)

___________________________________________________________
Adjustment Area Reliability coefficient
___________________________________________________________
Home .91
Health .81
Social .88
Emotional .91
Occupational .85
Total Score .94
___________________________________________________________
Validity

The Inventory has been validated in two ways ---

First, the items for each of the section in the Inventory were selected in terms of the degree to which
they differentiated between the upper and the lower 15% of the individuals in a distribution of adult
scores. Only those items which clearly differentiated between these extreme groups are included in the
present form of the Inventory.

Second, the Inventory has been validated through the selection of VERY WELL and VERY POORLY
adjusted groups of individuals by specialists in adult counseling and a determination of the degree to
which the Inventory differentiates among them.

The following counseling bureaus and counselors assisted in locating the extreme cases --- Institute of
Family Relations, Los Angeles, California; Psychologic Center, San Francisco, California; Columbus Testing
Bureau, Columbus, Ohio; Vocational Rehabilitation Service, Washington, D.C.; Sir George Williams
College, Montreal, Canada; Western Personnel Service, Los Angeles, California; Mr. Earl Dome, Counselor
for Adults in the Young Men's Christian Association, Seattle, Washington; Dr. Paul Brainard, Psychological
Consultant, Los Angeles, California; and Dr. Gustav White, Adult Counselor, Los Angeles, California.

Carefully prepared written instructions were sent to each counselor which directed him to be watching
for individuals who evidenced, during interviews, VERY GOOD or VERY POOR adjustment in any of the
areas covered by the Inventory. To such persons the counselor gave the Adult Form of the Adjustment
Inventory. Over a period of 8 months, the 10 adult counselors located the following cases --- HOME
ADJUSTMENT, 30 individuals with VERY POOR and 61 with VERY GOOD adjustment; HEALTH
ADJUSTMENT, 19 with VERY POOR and 49 with VERY GOOD adjustment; SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, 32 who
were EXTREMELY RETIRING and 46 who were VERY AGGRESSIVE; EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT, 37 who
were POORLY adjusted and 45 who were VERY WELL adjusted; OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENT, 41 VERY
POORLY adjusted and 44 VERY WELL adjusted. Each counselor was paid with a small fee for locating
these cases. All the counselors had five or more years of experience in counseling individuals with
personal maladjustments.

The following summarized the means, standard deviations, mean differences, standard errors of the
differences, and the critical ratios. Examinations of the critical ratios indicated that the Inventory clearly
differentiated between the extreme groups selected by the counselors in all five areas of personal
adjustment.

VALIDATING GROUPS SELECTED BY COUNSELORS

____________________________________________________________________________
Adjustment Well-adjusted Poorly-adjusted Difference Sigma of
Diff/
group group Diff.
Sigma of
Diff.
___________________________________________________________________________________

M SD M SD
___________________________

Home 4.50 3.28 14.66 4.58 10.16 .94 10.81

Health 3.86 2.58 14.36 5.12 10.50 1.23 8.54
Social 4.96 3.12 21.44 4.70 16.48 .95 17.35
Emotional 4.86 3.42 16.56 4.92 11.70 .96 12.19
Occupational 3.72 3.02 15.74 4.94 12.02 .89 13.51
___________________________________________________________________________________
Probable errors of measurement

The following table lists the probable errors ofmeasurement of the five types of adjustment and the total
score of the Inventory for adults of both sexes.

PROBABLE ERRORS OF MEASUREMENT

__________________________________________________________________
Adjustment Men Women
__________________________________________________________________

Home 1.25 1.26

Health 1.27 1.26
Social 1.49 1.70
Emotional 1.10 1.45
Occupational 1.74 1.68
Total Score 3.14 3.42
__________________________________________________________________

Intercorrelations

The following table reports the coefficients of intercorrelations of the five sections of the Inventory.

Coefficients of Intercorrelations (N = 109)

________________________________________________________________
Home and Health Adjustment .26+/-.06
Home and Social Adjustment -.06+/-.07
Home and Emotional Adjustment .35+/-.05
Home and Occupational Adjustment .22+/-.06
Health and Social Adjustment .10+/-.07
Health and Emotional Adjustment .50+/-.05
Health and Occupational Adjustment .10+/-.07
Social and Emotional Adjustment .51+/-.05
Social and Occupational Adjustment .04+/-.07
Emotional and Occupational Adjustment .35+/-.06
_________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgements

The author is greatly indebted to the following persons who have cooperated in the standardization of
the Adult Form of the Inventory.

Mr. Earl Dome, Counselor, Young Men's Christian Association, Seattle, Washington
Dr. Paul Popenoe, Director, Institute of Family Relations, Los Angeles, California
Dr. Herbert Moore, Professor of Psychology, Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley,
Massachusetts
Dr. Paul Brainard, Psychological Consultant, Los Angeles, California
Mrs. C. C. Pfanstiehl, Psychometrist, Young Women's Christian Association, Chicago,
Illinois
Mr. F. R. Stillwell, Vocational Rehabilitation Service, United States Office of
Education, Washington, D. C.
Dr. James McClintock, Professor of Psychology, Drew University, Madison, New
Jersey
 Mr. E. F. Sheffield, Registrar, Sir George Williams College, Montreal, Canada
Miss Helen Fisk, Associate Director, Western Personnel Service, Pasadena, California
Mr. John Patchen, Adult Counselor, Columbus Counseling Bureau, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Gustav White, Adult Counselor, Los Angeles, California
Miss Gertrude Sykes, Personnel Director, Schuster's Department Stores, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin
Mr. H. A. Camplon, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Los Angeles, California

Report to Author

In order that more extensive norms may be compiled, the author will appreciate receiving scores
obtained from the use of the Inventory. communication should be addressedin the care of the the Chico
State College, Chico, California.

NOTE: Taken from the original manual

SCORING KEY

The answer to each item scores 1 point. To get the total score, sum up all all the scores for each
adjustment area.
____________________________________________________________________________
Home Adjustment Health Adjustment Social Adjustment Emotional Adjustment
____________________________________________________________________________
Item No. Item No. Item No. Item No.

1. YES 3. YES 4. YES 2. YES

7. NO 6. YES 8. NO 10. YES
11. YES 13. YES 15. YES 14. YES
16. YES 19. YES 17. YES 18. YES
22. YES 24. YES 21. YES 23. YES
25. YES 27. YES 29. YES 28. YES
31. YES 33. YES 32. YES 34. YES
35. NO 38. YES 37. NO 39. YES
40. YES 42. YES 44. NO 43. YES
46. NO 48. YES 50. YES 47. YES
51. YES 53. YES 52. YES 54. YES
55. YES 57. YES 59. YES 58. YES
62. NO 61. YES 63. NO 65. YES
67. YES 66. YES 68. NO 70. YES
71. YES 73. YES 72. YES 74. YES
75. YES 78. YES 77. YES 79. YES
81. YES 84. YES 83. NO 82. YES
85. YES 88. YES 87. YES 90. YES
91. YES 93. YES 94. NO 92. YES
96. YES 97. YES 99. YES 100. YES
101. YES 103. YES 102. NO 105. YES
106. NO 108. YES 107. YES 109. YES
111. YES 113. YES 114. NO 112. YES
116. YES 117. YES 119. YES 120. YES
121. YES 122. YES 124. YES 123. YES
127. YES 126. YES 128. NO 130. YES
131. YES 133. YES 132. YES 134. YES
137. YES 136. YES 138. YES 140. YES
142. YES 141. YES 144. YES 143. YES
147. YES 146. YES 148. NO 150. YES
151. YES 152. YES 154. YES 153. YES
157. YES 156. YES 158. NO 160. YES
____________________________________________________________________________

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