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The Scale of Emotional Arousability: bridging the gap between the neuroticism construct and its measurement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

V. A. Braithwaite
V. A. Braithwaite*
Affiliation:
NH & MRC Social Psychiatry Research Unit, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr V. A. Braithwaite, NH & MRC Social Psychiatry Research Unit, The Australian National University, Conberra 2601, Australia
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Synopsis

This paper outlines and evaluates a newly developed measure of neuroticism, the Scale of Emotional Arousability (SEA). The 15-item scale is economical to use, avoids the consistent pattern of negatively worded items that plagues the neuroticism (N) Scale of the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) and comprises of items that focus specifically on emotional arousability, thereby bringing the measurement of neuroticism in line with Eysenck&s (1967) original conceptualization. The SEA shows every indication of being psychometrically sound and correlates with related constructs in much the same way as the N Scale of the EPI. The SEA is recommended as an alternative to the EPI for research purposes, particularly where there is a need to measure independently such related constructs as neurosis, self-esteem and private self-consciousness.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 217 - 225
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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