Using Interest Inventory Profile Elevation to Predict Depression and Anxiety in Individuals with Disabilities Resulting from a Personal Injury

The present study was designed to address gaps in the literature, extend previous research, and increase current knowledge about interest inventory profile elevation as a construct. More specifically, the study investigated relationships between interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety, and state anxiety. Age and cognitive impairment were also examined in these relationships. The sample consisted of 135 clients who sought services at a private psychological practice in central Florida during 2007 and 2008. The Self-Directed Search (SDS) was used to measure interest inventory profile elevation, which was defined as the sum of the six RIASEC section scores across the five sections of the SDS and includes interests and ability self-estimates. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) was used to measure depression (2-Scale), trait anxiety (7-Scale), and state anxiety (A-Scale). Trait anxiety was investigated with and without K correction. A client intake form was also used to collect personal and demographic information. There were two research questions posed in the present study: 1) What are the relationships between interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety for individuals who have become disabled resulting from a personal injury? and 2) Do age and cognitive impairment influence the relationships among interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety for individuals who have become disabled resulting from a personal injury? Pearson Product moment coefficients found no relationships between profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety. A canonical correlation and hierarchical regression analyses found that profile elevation was not found to be related to the aforementioned variables by itself or in concert with other variables. These findings were not consistent with previous research, which found that interest profile elevation is moderately related to depressive personality traits. Results of the present study, however, found that cognitive impairment was the only variable that was found to be significantly associated with depression, trait anxiety with K, trait anxiety without K, and state anxiety. Limitations, implications for counseling, and recommendations for future research were presented. Several ideas for how the findings from the present study can be used in practice were also included. The suggestions for future research would add to the state of the science in this area of counseling psychology.