THE TRIDIMENSIONAL PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE - RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY STUDIES AND DERIVATION OF A SHORT-FORM

A series of interrelated analyses were conducted on 2 samples of colle ge students to examine the reliability and validity of the Tridimensio nal Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and to develop and validate a shor t version of the scale. Factor analyses were conducted and tended to a pproximate Cloninger's proposed model. Novelty Seeking predicted a ran ge of substance use and abuse measures, and substance use disorders. H arm Avoidance was unrelated to substance use but predicted alcohol pro blems and dependence phenomena. No support was found for the quadratic and specific interaction effects proposed by Cloninger (1987a). The S hort-TPQ, a 44-item scale derived through exploratory factor analysis, demonstrated levels of reliability and validity quite comparable to t hose of the full scale. These results provide moderate support for the reliability and validity of both the TPQ and the Short-TPQ.