Purpose of the Scale

The primary goal of the Preschool Interpersonal Problem Solving Test (PIPST-59) is to assess and evaluate the different solutions that can be proposed in response to interpersonal problems, as perceived by children aged 4 to 6 years old.

Scale Analysis

The Preschool Interpersonal Problem Solving Test (PIPST-59) was developed by Shure and Spivack in 1980 and 1982, and was first applied in Greece. It evaluates a child’s ability to perceive situations in different ways and to generate more than one solution for managing problematic situations.
The first scenario concerns how a child might try to obtain a toy they like from a peer.
The second scenario deals with how they might avoid upsetting their mother after damaging a cherished object.
Trained evaluators administer the test individually to each child within 15 to 20 seconds, using various drawings and figures. The scale has been translated and adapted from Greek into English.

Scale Scoring

Scoring on the PIPST-59 is based on the total number of different solution proposals a child can suggest for each problematic situation.

Validity and Reliability

The Preschool Interpersonal Problem Solving Test has demonstrated sufficient validity, as the ability to think of multiple solutions is a predictor variable for distinguishing children from different socioeconomic backgrounds and behavioral responses.
Reliability, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha:
a = 0.72 after one week
a = 0.59 after three to five months

References

Chiou, V., Zisi, A., Xanthakou, G., Sapouna, M., & Kaila, M. (2013). The implementation of the mental health promotion program “I Can Solve the Problem” in public kindergartens in Greece: First-year results. Psychology: the Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 20(1), 54–67.