Approbation and Validation of the «Index of Autonomous Functioning» (IAF) in the Russian Sample

Abstract

One of the key issues in contemporary psychology is a correlation between determinism and indeterminism in understanding human behaviour. Autonomy as self-determined behaviour, as an individual's autonomous choice of behaviour, is one of the most significant and sought-after constructs in the study of personality functioning. In E. Deci and R. Ryan's self-determination theory (SDT), the need for autonomy is one of the basic innate needs of the personality, and this confirms the need for a person to feel as an actor, an initiator, the cause of one's own life and to act in harmony with one's integrated Self. The article presents the procedure of adaptation of the Russian-language version of the “Index of Autonomous Functioning” (IAF) developed within the macro-theory of self-determination by E. Deci and R. Ryan. The methodology assesses the need for autonomy, including such characteristics as authorship in life, self-interest and susceptibility to external control. In the article we studied the results of reliability and accuracy assessment (Cronbach's coefficient – 0,774) on a sample of 689 university students in Saint Petersburg. The structure of the questionnaire had three scales: authorship, susceptibility to control, and interest. Correlation analysis confirmed the correlation of the scales with other methods of measuring autonomous behavior, such as "Subjective Quality of Choice", "The Existence Scale", "World Assumptions Scale" and "Stolin Self-Relationship Questionnaire". Testing of diagnostic sensitivity of the Russian version of the questionnaire showed positive results, revealing significant level differences between three clusters: respondents with high, medium and low autonomous functioning index, as well as significant differences in gender and level of education of the respondents. A positive correlation was found between the overall IAF score, the interest-taking subscale, and the age of respondents (within Russian sample). According to the results, the Russian-language version of the “Index of Autonomous Functioning” has good psychometric characteristics and can be used as a qualitative research tool.