What do the interpersonal scales from the PAI do?

• A. They anticipate behaviour in a therapeutic relationship
• B. They diagnose psychosis
• C. They measure intelligence
• D. They assess physical health

Answer: (A)

The main idea behind these scales is to capture how a person tends to relate to others and handle interpersonal situations. They describe typical patterns in social behavior—things like warmth, cooperativeness, assertiveness, and need for control—that show up in relationships.

Understanding this style helps clinicians predict how a client will behave in a therapeutic relationship. It informs expectations about how the client may respond to guidance or feedback, how open they might be to disclosure, and how rapport or alliance with the therapist might develop or encounter resistance. This relational insight supports treatment planning and how to tailor the approach to fit the client’s interpersonal style.

The other options aren’t what these scales aim to assess. They do not diagnose psychosis, measure intelligence, or assess physical health; those areas involve different kinds of assessments or scales.