“Perrotta Ego Hypertrophy Investigation Questionnaire (PEHI-Q)”: Development, Regulation, and Validation of a Psychometric Tool to Investigate the Clinical Aspects of Ego Hypertrophy

Introduction: In literature, the concept of egoism is associated with the psychic ego instance under hypertrophic conditions; however, there are currently no psychometric instruments capable of distinguishing the functional form (self-love) from its dysfunctional variants (infantilism, egocentrism, and narcissism). Aim: A validation study was conducted to assess whether the proposed psychometric instrument can reliably and validly investigate the efficiency of the ego psychic instance in relation to the hypotheses of hegonic hypertrophy. Materials and methods: A new psychometric instrument was developed for administration to a selected clinical population (144 males/females, aged 16-70 years, M: 40.2, SD: 16.4) and was compared with a previously used instrument (Narcissistic Personality Inventory, NPI). This comparison aimed to investigate the efficacy of the ego psychic instance, clinically assess the level of subjective egoism, and ultimately validate the new instrument. A control group with similar characteristics was selected. Results: Statistical analysis revealed that the psychometric test possesses a well-defined and stable construct, with the variables accurately represented and positively correlated with another already validated construct. Conclusions: The Perrotta Ego Hypertrophy Investigation Questionnaire, first edition (PEHI-Q), is a valid, efficient, and stable psychometric tool for examining the clinical aspects of ego hypertrophy.