Index of Adjustment and Values – IAV
Measures self-concept, self-acceptance, and ideal self-concept, as well as the discrepancy between actual and ideal self-evaluations.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Index of Adjustment and Values – IAV was developed by Robert E. Bills, Edgar L. Vance, and O. S. McLean (1951). It is designed to measure Self-concept, self-acceptance, and ideal self-concept. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 49 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Self-Concept (Column I), Self-Acceptance (Column II), Ideal Self (Column III).
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Concept (Column I) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49 | 49 |
| Self-Acceptance (Column II) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49 | 49 |
| Ideal Self (Column III) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49 | 49 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Seldom / Very much dislike), 2 = 2 (Occasionally / Dislike), 3 = 3 (About half the time / Neutral), 4 = 4 (A good deal of the time / Like), 5 = 5 (Most of the time / Like very much).
The scale includes 9 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Split-half and test-retest reliability coefficients typically range from .80 to .90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.