Measuring interpersonal relationships with the Test of object relations

– 17 years of research

assist. prof. Gregor Žvelc, clinical psychologist

¹ University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Ljubljana

² University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information

Technologies, Department of Psychology, Koper

Abstract

The Test of Object Relations (TOR) is a self-report instrument for measuring the quality of object
relations developed by Žvelc in 1998. The test measures three dimensions (dependence, alienation
and self-absorption) and six sub-dimensions of object relations (symbiotic merging, separation
anxiety, narcissism, egocentricity, fear of engulfment and social isolation). The test was built
according to psychoanalytic theory of object relations in three phases of validation: theoretical,
internal-structural and external validation. With this test development strategy, each phase depends
on the results of the previous phase. In the last 17 years the Test was used in numerous studies in
Slovenia and also abroad. In the paper I will present basic psychometric characteristics of the
instrument and some findings from the research on different samples. Further research will be
proposed and open questions addressed.

KeyWords: interpersonal relationships, object relations, measurement characteristics, Test of object

relations

assist. prof. Gregor Žvelc, clinical psychologist

gregor.zvelc@guest.arnes.si