Concurrent Validity of Diagnostic Intake Measures: Their Relationship to Client Presenting Problems.

The concurrent validity and discriminant validity of 3 widely used measures of psychological functioning were evaluated using a large, heterogeneous sample of 188 male and 337 female adult community residents (aged 16-66 years) seeking counseling services at a midwestern university training clinic. Validity was assessed as the relationship between clients' stated presenting problems and diagnostic intake variables as measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS). Subjects also completed the Presenting Problem Checklist. Three multivariate analyses of variance were conducted. Results strongly support the validity of the BDI, provide partial support for the State and Trait subscales of the STAI, and provide only a limited amount of support for the TSCS. Implications of the results for the utility of these measures are discussed. Two tables present study data, and 49 references are included. (Author/SLD)