Interpreting the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems: A rejoinder to Riding and Cartwright

Recently Riding and Cartwright (1999) have advocated eight new subscales of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, to be derived from a 40-item shor t-form (the IIP-40). The aims of this rejoinder are to examine critically t he rationale given by Riding and Cartright for constructing new subscales b ased on Birtchnell's interpersonal octagon, the methods they used for the c onstruction, and the evidence they provided for validity. The conclusions o f this examination are that the rationale is weak and that the evidence is against the validity of the IIP-40.