Further Evaluation of Merz's Psychological Reactance Scale

Abstract

Merz's Psychological Reactance Scale was evaluated on the basis of individual item analysis, factorial validity and reliability using responses of 379 Australian tertiary students. Several questionnaire items showed difficulties in readability, ambiguity and discriminatory power, possibly due to the effects of translation. The scale was factorially unstable, and the reliabilities of the present English version were .80 (α) and .77 (split-half) which are not as high as those for the original German version. A thorough refinement of questionnaire items was suggested to produce a more psychometrically acceptable scale.