Self-Disclosure Questionnaire

Abstract

The Self-Disclosure Questionnaire (SDQ), developed by Sydney M. Jourard and Murray J. Landsman in 1960, is a specialized psychological instrument designed to quantify the extent of reciprocal self-disclosure within specific dyadic relationships. Originally validated on a sample of male graduate students, the scale assesses two crucial dimensions of interpersonal communication: the amount of personal information an individual shares with others (Disclosure-Output) and the amount of information they receive in return from those confidants (Disclosure-Intake).

The test utilizes 15 factual, short-answer items concerning personal history and preferences. After responding to these items, subjects are asked to detail which pieces of information were shared with specific confidants and what information they knew about those confidants. The resulting scores provide a measure of the subject’s active disclosure and their passive receipt of disclosure. Initial studies supported the validity of the resulting scores based on the close alignment between reported knowledge, disclosed information, and independent examiner reports.

Keywords

Self-Disclosure Questionnaire, Self-Disclosure, Disclosure-Output, Disclosure-Intake, Construct Validity, Test Development, Social and Interpersonal Measures, Dyadic Effect.

Authors

Jourard, Sydney M., Landsman, Murray J.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Self-Disclosure Questionnaire is to systematically measure the quantity of information exchanged between individuals. Unlike scales that focus solely on an individual’s propensity to disclose, the SDQ specifically measures the dynamic, two-way process inherent in interpersonal communication.

The instrument provides two distinct metrics: the Disclosure-Output score, which quantifies the personal information shared by the respondent; and the Disclosure-Intake score, which quantifies the personal information shared with the respondent by their identified confidants. This dual measurement approach allows researchers to study the Dyadic Effect, a key concept in social psychology suggesting that disclosure tends to be reciprocal.

Construct

The central psychological construct measured by the SDQ is Self-Disclosure. In the context of this scale, self-disclosure is operationalized as the voluntary verbal communication of personal facts, feelings, and experiences that the subject would ordinarily keep private, and the reciprocal receipt of such information from interaction partners.

The scale focuses on factual, rather than emotional or deeply subjective, information, allowing for a more objective assessment of the breadth of shared knowledge within close relationships. It is classified under Social, Group, and Interpersonal Relationships measures, reflecting its utility in understanding relationship formation and maintenance through the exchange of personal data.

Validity

The validation of the Disclosure-Output and Disclosure-Intake scores relies on evidence supporting the scale’s ability to accurately reflect actual disclosure patterns within the tested population. The authors asserted that the validity of these scores was supported by a strong coincidence observed across three critical data points:

• The information subjects reported knowing about their fellow students (Intake).
• The information subjects reported disclosing to their fellow students (Output).
• The independent information reported to the examiner concerning these disclosures.

This alignment suggests initial support for the instrument’s Test Validity and Construct Validity, confirming that the scale accurately captures the stated construct of reciprocal information exchange. The methodology used to establish this validity is categorized as Test Validity and Construct Validity analysis.

Reliability

Based on the initial documentation available from the 1960 publication, specific reliability data, such as internal consistency measures (e.g., Cronbach’s Alpha) or test-retest reliability, were not indicated. Researchers utilizing the Self-Disclosure Questionnaire in subsequent studies would typically be required to establish the reliability of the scale for their specific population and context.

Factor Analysis

No formal factor analysis was reported or conducted during the initial development and validation of the Self-Disclosure Questionnaire. The structure of the scale is straightforward, focusing on two primary, observable variables (Output and Intake), rather than exploring latent dimensions or sub-factors of the Self-Disclosure construct.

Instrument

Test Type: Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The test consists of 15 factual short-answer items, leading to two distinct quantitative scores: Disclosure-Output and Disclosure-Intake scores.

Language Available: English (Original administration)

Population Group: Male graduate students

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)

Population Details: The initial sample population consisted of male graduate students located in the United States.

Test Methodology: The methodology used in the initial study focused on establishing Test Validity and Construct Validity through comparison of disclosed versus received information.

Keywords

Self-Disclosure Questionnaire, Test Construction, Social Psychology, Interpersonal Communication, Construct Validity, Dyadic Interaction, Disclosure-Output, Disclosure-Intake.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Contact publisher required)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1960

Permissions: Test items are not generally available in the public domain. Interested parties must contact the publisher or relevant rights holder for information regarding usage permissions, fees, and access to the complete instrument.

Publisher: N/A (No specific publisher indicated in the source content, contact authors or journal of publication for rights information).

Reference’s

• Jourard, S. M., & Landsman, M. J. (1960). Cognition, cathexis, and the dyadic effect in men’s self-disclosing behavior. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 6, 178–185.

Items of the Self-Disclosure Questionnaire

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

The questionnaire consists of 15 factual short-answer items, examples of which include:

• “In what town were you born?”
• “Is there any food or dish that you especially dislike?”

These factual items are followed by questions assessing which confidants received this information and what reciprocal information the subject received from those confidants.