Validity of the Superiority and Goal Instability Scales as Measures of Defects in the Self

A series of four canonical correlation analyses was conducted to compare the Superiority and Goal Instability scales both with personality pattern and clinical syndrome scales from the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) and with therapist ratings of personality traits and symptom patterns using 91 clients from a cross-section of outpatient and inpatient mental health agencies. The Superiority scale was related to a pattern of social gregariousness, interpersonal exploitation, and impulsivity and Goal Instability was related to a pattern of social withdrawal, depression, and lack of ambitions and goals. These results clarify the meaning of the two self-scales as well as providing preliminary data on self-pathology and character types.