Concurrent Validity and Reliability of Representative Inner Speech Questionnaires
Open accessAbstract
Inner speech is frequently assessed using self-report scales, but their validity is understudied. Uttl et al. (2011) found moderate correlations, perhaps because measures tap into different dimensions of inner speech. We expand on these preliminary results by investigating reliability and concurrent validity of seven inner speech questionnaires in a larger sample. Our results indicate that inner speech questionnaires are reliable but hold moderate concurrent validity, in line with Uttl and colleagues’ (2011) results. Specifically, our results suggest that some inner speech scales may capture a general conception of inner speech, while others may assess evaluative components of negative self-talk, self-regulation, and self-reflective processes, but not emotional valence. The results hold implications around further validity investigations of inner speech measures.
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Self-report measures such as questionnaires are the most direct method for finding out about a person's inner speech.
“The most direct method for finding out about a person's IS is through self-report measures such as questionnaires [12]”
From Inner speech as language process and cognitive tool (2023) · cites this paper as [12]
The Introduction (page not provided) says self-report questionnaires are by far the most popular method for assessing inner speech. It does not say they are the most direct method, and notes that they rely on retrospection. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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Cites
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“Inner speech serves various cognitive functions, among which are self-regulation, problem solving, decision-making (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015), memory (Larsen et al., 2002), and self-re fl ection (Morin, 2018).”
BackgroundInner speech and bilingual autobiographical memory: a Polish–Danish cross-cultural study
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Are Inner Speech Self-Report Questionnaires Reliable and Valid?
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Sorted by citations
Inner speech as language process and cognitive tool
Fernyhough, C., & Borghi, A. M. (2023) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2023.08.014 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
“The most direct method for finding out about a person's IS is through self-report measures such as questionnaires [12], although responses on such instruments (Box 2) have the weakness of potentially being distorted by the preconceptions of the participants about what type of mind”
The psychometric properties of the varieties of inner speech questionnaire-revised in Hebrew
Sabag, T., Zohar, A. H., Kreiner, H., Lev-Ari, L., & Rabinowitz, D. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1092223 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Racy, F., Morin, A., & Hagerty, J.
- Affiliations
- MA I/O Psychology, Independent Researcher
- Mount Royal University (CA)
- Independent Researcher
- Corresponding author
- Racy, Famira
- Venue
- Psychological Reports
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-06-13
- Volume
- 127
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 994-1002
- ISSN
- 0033-2941 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-691X
- PMC
- PMC10926316
- OpenAlex
- W4282832717
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 1.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Psychological Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Mount Royal University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Representations and Identity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- inner speech, concurrent validity, reliability statistics, self-report measures, negative self-talk, self-regulation, self-reflection, emotional valence
- MeSH terms
- Emotions, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Speech, Reproducibility of Results, Self Report
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