PQ assessment research: Improved Metrics and Saboteurs
- positiveintelligen
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Purpose: This briefing document summarizes the main themes, important ideas, and key findings presented in the "Research Foundation for Positive Intelligence Assessments," The whitepaper provides updated research data concerning the Saboteur Assessment and the PQ (Positive Intelligence Quotient) Assessment, including analyses of reliability, validity, and demographic trends.
Key Themes and Important Ideas:
1. Introduction to Positive Intelligence and Self-Sabotage:
Positive Intelligence (PQ) is based on research across positive psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and performance science, aiming to identify core factors for optimal performance and mental wellbeing.
A primary focus is understanding self-sabotage, which manifests through "Saboteurs."
"Saboteurs are a set of automatic and habitual mind patterns, each with its own voice, beliefs, and assumptions. They represent each person’s strategy for surviving physically and emotionally and getting one’s needs met. They typically are formed through a combination of born predispositions and early life experiences."
The key characteristic of Saboteurs is their generation of prolonged negative emotions (stress, anxiety, disappointment, etc.), which hinder performance and wellbeing.
The "pain analogy" is used to explain this: negative emotions are helpful as an initial alert, but prolonged negative emotions caused by Saboteurs are like "holding your hand on the hot stove," causing harm.
"Emotional numbness" is also considered a Saboteur emotion as it's not conducive to optimal functioning. Healthy responses like appropriate grieving are differentiated from Saboteur emotions.
2. The Saboteur Assessment:
The assessment identifies individual Saboteurs through a questionnaire (initially 54 items, later refined to 49, and analyzed in this paper with 45 items).
Questions use a 5-point Likert scale.
The study analyzed data from 458,867 unique participants who completed the assessment between March 2018 and July 2021. A stratified random sample of 800 participants was used for detailed factor analysis.
Exploratory Factor Analysis initially identified 13 factors, accounting for over 99% of the variance. This over-factoring approach was intentional to ensure all potential factors were considered.
These 13 factors were subsequently consolidated into 10 core Saboteurs: Judge (combining Judging-Self, Judging-Others, and Judging-Circumstances), Avoider (combining Task-Avoider and Conflict-Avoider), Stickler, Hyper-Vigilant, Hyper-Achiever, Pleaser, Hyper-Rational, Restless, Victim, and Controller.
The whitepaper provides a table (Table 1) showing the factor loadings of the 45 questionnaire items on the 13 initial factors.
Scale reliability analysis (Cronbach’s α) for the 10 consolidated Saboteur scales showed acceptable reliability (≥ 0.70), as presented in Table 2. For example, the Judge scale had a Cronbach’s α of 0.84.
3. Age and Gender Trends in Saboteur Scores:
Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify age and gender-related trends in Saboteur scores.
Graphs (not included in the provided text excerpt) illustrate the simple effects of age and gender on the average scores for each of the 10 Saboteur scales.
4. The PQ (Positive Intelligence Quotient) Assessment:
PQ measures the relative strength of positive versus negative "mental muscles" and is considered a measure of mental fitness.
It is based on the ratio of positive to negative emotions experienced in a typical 24-hour period, assessed through 24 pairs of emotions rated on a 5-point Likert scale.
Research, including John Gottman's work on marital success, suggests a critical positive/negative ratio. A ratio of 3:1, corresponding to a PQ score of 75, is identified as a tipping point for peak performance, sustained mental wellness, and thriving relationships.
"As a collection, the different research findings cited in Positive Intelligence support a tipping point at a positive negative ratio of 3/1 which corresponds to the PQ Score of 75. To ensure peak performance, sustained mental wellness, and thriving relationships, we encourage participants to raise their PQ scores above 75."
The whitepaper advises taking the assessment after a typical day and taking multiple measurements over time for an accurate view, as a single measurement can be biased.
5. Factor Validity and Score Reliability of the PQ Assessment:
Data from 64,712 respondents who completed the PQ Assessment between August 2019 and July 2021 were analyzed. The earliest assessment for each participant was used.
Principal factor analysis revealed two primary factors: positive emotion and negative emotion, explaining 75% and 24% of the total variance, respectively.
Table 4 displays the rotated factor pattern, showing which emotion items load significantly (≥ |.40|) on either the positive or negative emotion factor. Most items showed good simple structure, loading predominantly on one factor.
"Overall, the factorial validity of the PQ Assessment is supported by the results of the factor analysis, and the scores for the items loading on each factor are analyzed separately in the computation of the PQ score."
Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) was acceptable for both positive (α = .80) and negative (α = .90) emotion scales.
6. Distribution of PQ Scores:
PQ scores are reported with percentile rankings and are also presented in "bands" to communicate general implications: At Risk (0-25), Surviving (26-49), Burdened (50-70), On the Cusp (71-79), Thriving (80-89), and In the Zone (90+).
The mean and median PQ score in the analyzed sample was 55.5, with a standard deviation of 18.4.
7. Gender and Age Differences in PQ Scores:
"There’s minimal gender difference in PQ Scores."
"However, there’s a significant improvement of PQ Scores as one ages."
The average PQ score steadily increases from 51.4 for the 18-25 age group to 62.9 for the 65+ age group.
8. Ongoing Research:
Positive Intelligence continues to refine the assessments based on the large volume of data from program participants.
The whitepaper will be periodically updated and expanded.
Key Quotes:
On Saboteurs: "Saboteurs are a set of automatic and habitual mind patterns, each with its own voice, beliefs, and assumptions."
On the Impact of Saboteurs: "They sabotage your wellbeing and performance through prolonging your negative emotion response."
On the PQ Tipping Point: "To ensure peak performance, sustained mental wellness, and thriving relationships, we encourage participants to raise their PQ scores above 75."
On Age and PQ: "There’s a significant improvement of PQ Scores as one ages."
Conclusion:
The "Research Foundation for Positive Intelligence Assessments - White Paper" provides a detailed statistical foundation for both the Saboteur and PQ Assessments. The analyses confirm the reliability and underlying factor structure of the Saboteur Assessment, identifying 10 core self-sabotaging patterns. Similarly, the PQ Assessment demonstrates factorial validity and acceptable internal consistency in measuring the balance of positive and negative emotions, highlighting the importance of a positive/negative ratio of 3:1 (PQ score of 75) for optimal outcomes. The findings also reveal interesting demographic trends, particularly the improvement of PQ scores with age. Ongoing research indicates a commitment to continuous refinement and improvement of these assessment tools.
FAQ
What is Positive Intelligence and what is its primary focus?
Positive Intelligence (PQ) is a framework grounded in research from positive psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and performance science. Its primary focus is to identify and understand the core factors that drive optimal performance and mental wellbeing, particularly by examining how individuals self-sabotage these through negative mental patterns called Saboteurs.
What are Saboteurs according to Positive Intelligence?
Saboteurs are defined as a set of automatic and habitual negative mind patterns, each with its own distinct voice, beliefs, and assumptions. These patterns develop as strategies for emotional and physical survival and for getting one's needs met, often stemming from a combination of innate predispositions and early life experiences. The key characteristic of Saboteurs is their tendency to generate prolonged negative emotions that hinder both performance and wellbeing.
How do negative emotions relate to Saboteurs?
Negative emotions serve as an initial alert system, much like pain, signaling a problem that requires attention. However, Saboteurs cause these negative emotions (such as stress, anxiety, disappointment, etc.) to persist beyond their helpful signaling function. This prolonged state of negative emotion activates brain regions that impede clear thinking, creativity, and resourcefulness, essentially "holding your hand on a hot stove" and sabotaging your potential and wellbeing.
What is the Saboteur Assessment and what does it measure?
The Saboteur Assessment is a questionnaire designed to identify an individual's specific patterns of self-sabotage. It originally consisted of 54 questions, later refined to 49, using a 5-point Likert scale. Through factor analysis, the assessment identifies 10 core Saboteur patterns (initially 13 factors that were later consolidated). The assessment has demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity in identifying these self-sabotaging mental patterns.
What is the PQ Assessment and what does it measure?
The PQ (Positive Intelligence Quotient) Assessment measures an individual's mental fitness by evaluating the relative strength of their positive versus negative mental "muscles." It quantifies this by assessing the intensity of 24 pairs of positive and negative emotions experienced over a typical 24-hour period. The PQ score reflects the ratio of positive to negative emotional experiences.
What is a significant PQ score and why?
Research suggests a critical tipping point at a positive to negative ratio of 3:1, which corresponds to a PQ score of 75. Scores above 75 are associated with peak performance, sustained mental wellness, and thriving relationships. Conversely, lower scores indicate a greater influence of negative emotions and self-sabotage.
What are some of the key findings from the research on the Saboteur and PQ Assessments regarding age and gender?
Research on the Saboteur Assessment revealed some age and gender trends in average Saboteur scores, although the specific patterns vary across the different Saboteurs. For the PQ Assessment, there is minimal gender difference in scores. However, a significant positive correlation exists between age and PQ score, with the average PQ score steadily increasing from 51 for the 18-25 age group to 63 for those 65 and older.
How are the Saboteur and PQ Assessments used in the context of Positive Intelligence?
The Saboteur Assessment helps individuals become aware of their specific self-sabotaging thought patterns and the negative emotions they generate. The PQ Assessment provides a quantitative measure of overall mental fitness, indicating the balance between positive and negative emotional experiences. Together, these assessments form the foundation for Positive Intelligence programs aimed at increasing self-awareness, weakening Saboteurs, and strengthening positive mental muscles to improve performance, wellbeing, and relationships.