Alternate Versions for Coding Rorschach Form Dominance in Shading and Achromatic Color Responses

Abstract: Coding form dominance in color, shading, and achromatic color responses (Form Dominant, Form Secondary, Formless) has traditionally been an important aspect of Rorschach assessment of ego involvement in the regulation of emotions. The more Form involvement, the more one is accessing cognition to structure and modulate one’s experience of emotions. For psychometric and pragmatic reasons, contemporary Rorschach systems have eliminated or curtailed coding form dominance of shading and achromatic color (FDSHAC). Positing that this sacrifices interpretive nuance, we have recently attempted to demonstrate that with supplemental guidelines, FDSHAC can be coded reliably and accurately. We found, however, that the weak link is coding Form Secondary. Thus, using the same data set coded by four experienced Rorschachers, we attempted to mitigate this by evaluating two alternate versions of FDSHAC: One collapses Form Secondary with Form Dominant into a category called “Form Integrated”; the other, Form Secondary with Formless into “Non-Form Dominant.” Applying more conservative kappa statistics, which credit only exact matches among raters, the Form Integrated version generally showed stronger interrater reliabilities and scoring accuracies and thus is a promising compromise for assessors wishing to retain some nuance in interpreting ego involvement in the regulation of dysphoria and anxiety. Intraclass correlation coefficients, which credit close-but-inexact coding among raters, revealed little difference. Clinical and research implications as well as limitations are discussed.