Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ)

Abstract

The Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ), first introduced by Caine and Hawkins in 1963, is a crucial self-assessment instrument designed to evaluate the personality dimension characterized by the dichotomy between hysteroid and obsessoid traits. This inventory consists of 48 items, allowing for a quantitative measure of an individual’s propensity toward these specific psychological tendencies. Initial psychometric evaluations demonstrated strong properties, including a high internal consistency reliability coefficient of 0.92 based on ratings from a sample of neurotic patients. Furthermore, the HOQ showed significant construct validity, evidenced by a correlation of 0.68 with established personality measures, significant at the 0.001 level.

Keywords

Internal Consistency, Hysteria, Obsessions, Test Development, Construct Validity, Personality Assessment, Psychometrics

Authors

Caine, T. M., Hawkins, L. G.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ) is to provide a standardized, self-rated measure of the specific dimension of personality defined by the poles of hysteroid and obsessoid characteristics. This instrument was developed to allow researchers and clinicians to quantify these underlying traits, thereby offering a more objective alternative to purely descriptive clinical assessments.

By utilizing self-ratings across 48 distinct statements, the HOQ enables the differentiation between individuals who exhibit tendencies toward impulsive, emotional, and suggestible behavior (hysteroid) versus those who show traits associated with rigidity, meticulousness, and emotional restraint (obsessoid). This measurement helps in the clinical classification and understanding of patient profiles.

Construct

The HOQ measures the psychological construct known as the Hysteroid/Obsessoid Dimension of Personality. This construct posits a continuum where individuals fall between two historically significant clinical profiles: the hysteroid personality and the obsessoid personality.

The hysteroid personality component relates to traits associated with emotional lability, theatricality, dependence, and high suggestibility, historically linked to hysteria. Conversely, the obsessoid personality component encompasses traits such as perfectionism, rigidity, emotional constriction, and a preoccupation with order and control, aligning with characteristics of obsessive-compulsive personality.

Validity

The initial validation of the HOQ focused on establishing its Construct Validity. Caine and Hawkins reported that the questionnaire demonstrated a strong correlation coefficient of 0.68 with other established measures of personality. This correlation was statistically significant at the 0.001 level, providing evidence that the HOQ successfully measures the theoretical construct it was designed to assess.

This high correlation suggests that the self-ratings captured by the HOQ align substantially with broader patterns of psychological functioning identified through other assessment methods, affirming its utility as a valid measure within the domain of personality psychopathology.

Reliability

The reliability of the HOQ was assessed using measures of Internal Consistency. For a sample of neurotic patients tested in a mental hospital setting, the reliability of the mean ratings achieved a very high coefficient of 0.92.

A reliability coefficient of 0.92 indicates excellent internal consistency, suggesting that the 48 items within the questionnaire are highly homogenous and measure the same underlying construct effectively. This robust finding supports the stability and precision of the HOQ scores when administered to clinical populations.

Factor Analysis

The original documentation provided by Caine and Hawkins (1963) does not explicitly indicate that a formal factor analysis was performed or reported during the initial development and validation of the Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire.

While the strong internal consistency suggests a high degree of item homogeneity, the absence of detailed factor analysis results means the specific underlying factor structure or subscales of the 48 items have not been formally documented in the foundational literature.

Instrument

Test Type: Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The instrument comprises 48 statements that respondents rate according to whether the statement reflects a hysteroid or obsessoid direction of behavior or feeling. It is structured as a self-assessment tool.

Language Available: English (Original Publication)

Population Group: Human; Male; Female; Inpatient

Age Group: Adult

Population Details: The initial psychometric testing utilized a specific sample of Neurotic Patients residing in a mental hospital in the United Kingdom.

Test Methodology: Test Validity; Construct Validity; Test Reliability; Internal Consistency

Keywords

Hysteroid Traits, Obsessoid Traits, Clinical Assessment, Psychopathology, Self-Report Inventory, United Kingdom, Internal Consistency

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not available in original source documentation.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not available in original source documentation.

Correspondence Address: T. M. Caine was affiliated with Claybury Hospital. L. G. Hawkins was affiliated with the Central Office of Information at the time of the questionnaire’s publication (1963).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ) was first published in 1963. The test items are not publicly available; interested parties wishing to access the test items or utilize the scale must contact the original publisher or the authors’ estates for necessary permissions and potential associated fees, as stipulated in the original documentation.

Reference’s

• Caine, T. M., & Hawkins, L. G. (1963). Questionnaire measure of the hysteroid/obsessoid component of personality: The HOQ. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 27(3), 206–209. The DOI for this reference is https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045773.

Items of the Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The individual items comprising the Hysteroid/Obsessoid Questionnaire (HOQ) are not available in the public domain. To access the proprietary test items, researchers and practitioners are directed to contact the publisher or the appropriate copyright holder, as indicated by the authors: “To access the test items, contact the publisher.”