The sentence completion test has been used in two ways: a) as an independent source of

information, and b) as an instrument of comparison. To begin with the second acceptation, the
link
which relates it to the Rorschach test is the element of "disturbance.” These two projective
tests,
according to Sacks and Levy, are two different ways of personality description which
together give us
a more rounded picture of the personality.
The Rorschach test mirrors the subject's basic personality structure; the Sacks Sentence
Completion
Test may reflect conscious, preconscious, or unconscious thinking and feeling. Though there
are
variables in both tests which are mutually comparable, the objective measurements are few
and
difficult to apply. But one thing seems to be clear: if a subject suffers from acute anxiety, this
anxiety
will manifest itself in his attitudes towards fife. If the Rorschach test reveals anxiety, this
anxiety will
he reflected in the various attitudes described in the SSCT. The SSCT is designed, and we
take it now
in its first acceptation, to obtain significant clinical material in four representative areas of
adjustment, viz., family, sex, interpersonal relationships and self-concept. The test consists of
60
incomplete sentences organized in 15 attitudes. The investigator has introduced a few
modifications
to make the test fit his special setting. Ten new items have been substituted for the original
nine
items. "Attitude toward religion" and "Attitude toward siblings" have taken the place of
"Attitude
towards superiors at work and school" and "Attitude toward people supervised". We hope that
the
attitudes introduced present richer possibilities for investigation in this special setting. The
item "If I
had sex relations” was cancelled, as it did not seem proper in the restricted group to which the
test
was administered, and because it was thought it would elicit very few responses. In its place
an item
was introduced, which, it was believed, was likely to elicit characteristic completions: "I
think talking
with girls" (with members of the opposite sex, as the case may be

SACK’S SENTENCE COMPLETION TEST By: Joseph M. Sacks

I. INTRODUCTION A sentence completion test consists of a number of incomplete
sentences presented to the subject for completion; for example, “I get angry when …”
Usually there are no instructions except complete these sentences as rapidly as you can.
Don’t stop to think about it, but say the very first thing that occurs to you. The test is usually
not a standardized test and is rarely treated quantitatively. It may be administered to a group
or as an individual test. It requires a minimum of supervision and this fact may be an
important consideration in many clinical situations. Usually, sentences are selected which
explore significant areas of an individual’s adjustment or in special situations test may be
used for the purpose of investigating some special cluster of attitudes.
II. BACKGROUND Establishment Since the Sentence Completion test (SCT) is a variation
of the word association method, the two techniques have been compared frequently, generally
to the advantage of the SCT. It is claimed that the SCT cuts down the multiplicity of
associated evoked by single word; that it is better able to suggest context, feeling tones,
qualities of attitudes, and specific objects or areas of attention; that it allows greater
individual freedom and variability of response; and that it taps a larger area of the subject’s
behavioral world. The sentence completion method has its origins in the work of Ebbinghaus
(1897), Kelly (1917) and Traube (1916), there have been more recent attempts to be used
primarily in recent years as a device for personality assessment. Payne (1928), and Tendler
(1930) are generally credited with being the first to use sentence completion measures
developed slowly during the thirties, but because of the pressures of war and the demands of
group personality assessment, many investigators developed an interest in the technique, thus
resulting to a considerable literature dealing test and its application. Since that time, sentence
completion methods have become increasingly more popular and the sentence completion has
become a regular part of standard clinical test batteries. These two features of flexibility and
economy seem to have been of paramount importance in gaining the sentence completion the
wide popularity in enjoys. Tundberg (1961) found that, of all the psychological tests and
instruments, the sentence completion marked 13th in frequency of use, and among the group
personality instruments the sentence was second only to HNPI. The flexibility and popularity
of the method have led to a prolification of sentence completion forms, the original of which
are often obscure.. The sentence completion method has often been used to predict
achievement for specialized group. Murray and Mckinnon 1946, used a sentence completion
form to evaluate candidates in the classic 058 studies. The sentences completion has been
used to predict the success of graduate students in clinical psychology (Kelly and Fiske,
1950) and to predict the success of the flight cadets (Hotman and Sells) 1954. In the bulk of
thin studies, the sentence completion methods used are “custom” tests, devised specifically
for the particular research project. The case of the constructing nets of stems, the content at
which bears a prima facie relationship to the variable under investigation, has encouraged a
wide variety of research. There have been, however, been several attempts to construct and
present “standard” forms. Special standard sentence completion forms for used in the armed
services were developed by Bijeu (1947), Blanagant (1947, Trites, Holtman and sells (1953)
and Willingham (1958). The attempt of standardizing a sentence completion form, which has
been most probably been rigeneous had most impact, and provided most stimulation for
further research has been that of Ratter and his associates
3 Theoretical Framework Usually, sentences are selected to explore significant areas of an
individual adjustment, or some specific cluster of attitudes which the clinician may want to
uncover, as in special situations test. Such sentences consist of questions designed to
clinicians elicit feelings and attitudes in various areas of interpersonal relationships. Special
situations test on the other hand, may be in the form of an attitude scale administered to a
group of physically handicapped individuals for determining the attitude of the group toward
the specific handicap. Such projective attitude of the individual were regarded frame of
reference of this ego functioning. Adler equated his style of life with self or ego, the units of
the personality individuality, the method of facing problems of life, and the whole attitude
toward life. Adler’s view was elaborated by Sullivan who preferred the term “selfsystem.”
One of the most amazing things about the ego is the relation of stability. It changes slowly.
Sullivan formulated the theory of stability, anxiety-gating theory; by selective in attention, a
person tends to recognize only what is in accord with presently existing self-system; thus, his
age is his frame of reference. The reason is that, discordant observations are anxiety
producing and a major purpose of the self-system is to avoid or minimize anxiety. Fingarette
referred the failure to integrate an observation into one’s current frame of reference as
anxiety. Thus, this search for coherent meanings in experience is the essence of the age or of
the ego functioning, rather than just one of the many equally important age functions. The
ego maintains its stability, its identity and coherence by selectively getting out observations in
consistent with its current state. Those theoretical conclusions are the foundations for use of
sentence completion as a method of measuring age development. The first methodological
decision is that only a projective technique that requires the subject to project his own frame
of reference will suffice to measure ego development. There were several works which dealt
closely, although independently, with the development of self-system. All of the conceptions
project an abstract continuum that is both a normal development sequence and a dimension of
individual differences in any given range of ages; all see holistic views of personality and all
see behavior in terms of purposes; all are more or less concerned with impulse control and
characteristic development, with interpersonal relations, and with cognitive preoccupations.

Rol
Reference (APA 7th Edition): Kohli, A., Jhanda, S., & Padhy, S. K. (2018). The utility of a
modified version of the Sentence Completion Test for children and adolescents. Industrial
Psychiatry Journal, 27(2), 231-234. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_63_18
Abstract: Introduction: The Sentence Completion Test (SCT) is a widely used projective test
employed by clinicians and psychologists to explore various aspects such as needs, inner
conflicts, fantasies, attitudes, aspirations, adjustment difficulties, and experiences of sexual
abuse in children and adolescents.
Aim: This study aims to modify the existing SCT (Form S) for children and adolescents and
assess its alignment with clinical history.
Methodology: A pilot testing was conducted on 35 children and adolescents referred to the
Department of Clinical Psychology for conflict evaluation after a detailed assessment by
psychiatrist(s). Both unmodified and modified SCTs were administered, and the obtained
information was compared within the two SCT versions and with the clinical history. The
psychologist conducting the test was blinded to the psychiatrist's assessment. Descriptive
analysis was performed.
Results: The modified SCT yielded more comprehensive information across various aspects
of the patients' lives compared to the older version. The information obtained from the
modified SCT aligned with the clinical history explored by the psychiatrist. This test
demonstrated ease of administration and the ability to provide detailed information in stress-
related and neurotic disorders, aiding in clinical case management.
Conclusion: The modified SCT may enhance the complementarity of clinical history by
eliciting comprehensive information on psychosocial issues, contributing to a more nuanced
formulation of a management plan.
Keywords: Adolescents, children, conflicts, modified Sentence Completion Test, psychiatric
illness, Sentence Completion Test.

Citation
Sacks, J. M., & Levy, S. (1950). The Sentence Completion Test. In L. E. Abt & L. Bellak
(Eds.), Projective psychology: Clinical approaches to the total personality (pp. 357–402).
Alfred A. Knopf. https://doi.org/10.1037/11452-011

Abstract
In "The Sentence Completion Test" Dr. Joseph M. Sacks and Dr. Sidney Levy offer a useful
survey of the rapidly increasing literature on the incomplete sentences method. In addition
they have made available a new sentence completion test that clinical psychologists may find
more acceptable than certain earlier versions on which it is based. Although of potentially
wide application, this technique has not as yet been fully explored; and it is our belief that the
present contribution will serve to awaken new interest in the possibilities of the method. The
problem of interpretation of sentence completion materials has been a bothersome one, and
we feel that the authors have made a contribution in this direction by stressing some
interpretative principles that may sharpen our skills in using this projective method

The Sachs Sentence Completion Test (SSCT) is a projective psychological assessment tool
that involves completing sentence stems to reveal information about an individual's thoughts,
feelings, and attitudes. While the SSCT is not as widely known or used as some other
projective tests like the Rorschach Inkblot Test or the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), it
has been employed in various contexts. Here are some potential applications of the Sachs
Sentence Completion Test:
1. Personality Assessment:
• Exploring Emotions and Attitudes: The SSCT can be used to assess an
individual's emotional experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. By completing
sentence stems, respondents may reveal aspects of their personality that are
not easily accessible through direct questioning.
2. Psychotherapy and Counseling:
• Treatment Planning: Therapists may use the SSCT as a supplementary tool
in psychotherapy to gain insights into clients' underlying issues and concerns.
It can assist in treatment planning by providing additional information about
clients' emotional and cognitive processes.
• Understanding Defense Mechanisms: The test may help therapists
understand the defense mechanisms individuals use to cope with stressors and
conflicts. Sentence completions may provide clues to unconscious processes.
3. Career Counseling:
• Identifying Career Preferences: In the context of career counseling, the
SSCT may be used to explore individuals' attitudes toward work, aspirations,
and preferences. It can provide insights into vocational interests and potential
career paths.
4. Research in Psychology:
• Studying Cognitive and Emotional Processes: Researchers may use the
SSCT in studies examining cognitive and emotional processes. It can be a tool
to explore how individuals complete sentences related to various themes and
topics.
5. Educational Settings:
• Understanding Student Perspectives: In educational settings, the SSCT
might be utilized to gain insights into students' perspectives on learning,
school, and interpersonal relationships. It can be a supplementary tool for
educators and counselors.
6. Clinical Assessments:
• Assessing Mental Health: Mental health professionals may use the SSCT as
part of a comprehensive assessment to understand psychological well-being,
especially in cases where traditional assessment measures might be limited.
7. Forensic Psychology:
• Legal and Forensic Contexts: The SSCT may be applied in forensic
psychology to assess individuals involved in legal cases. It could provide
information about emotional states, attitudes, and potential risk factors.
1. Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB):
• Author & Year: Julian B. Rotter (1950)
• Description: The RISB presents individuals with incomplete sentences, and
respondents are asked to complete them. It assesses various aspects of
personality, including motives, conflicts, and psychological characteristics.
2. Make-A-Picture-Story (MAPS) Thematic Apperception Test:
• Author & Year: Philip J. S. Watson (1965)
• Description: Similar to the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the MAPS
involves creating stories based on a series of pictures. It aims to reveal
underlying thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, providing insights into personality
dynamics.
3. Children's Apperception Test (CAT):
• Author & Year: Leopold Bellak and Sonya Sorel Bellak (1949)
• Description: The CAT is designed for use with children and involves
presenting them with a series of pictures depicting various social and
interpersonal situations. Children are then asked to tell stories about the
characters in the pictures.
4. Word Association Test (WAT):
• Author & Year: Carl Jung (early 20th century)
• Description: In the WAT, individuals are presented with a series of words, and
they are asked to respond with the first word that comes to mind. It explores
associations between words and can provide insights into the unconscious
mind.
5. Draw-A-Person Test (DAP):
• Author & Year: Florence Goodenough (1926)
• Description: In the DAP, individuals are asked to draw a person, and the
drawings are analyzed to assess various aspects of personality, cognitive
development, and emotional well-being.
6. House-Tree-Person (HTP) Test:
• Author & Year: John N. Buck (1948)
• Description: The HTP test involves asking individuals to draw a house, a tree,
and a person. The drawings are then analyzed to provide insights into the
person's personality, emotions, and interpersonal relationships