Development of a Scale Designed to Measure Interest in Verbal and Written Expression

The purpose of this research is to create a scale that measures an individual’s interest in verbal and written expression. Psychological theorists have held that individuals benefit emotionally from articulating their thoughts and feelings; these theories have found support in empirical studies that suggest the psychological benefits of certain language-based behaviors and experience in language-rich environments. Moreover, theorists and researchers have identified differences in individuals’ relationships with language. In light of this literature, this scale is an attempt to create a measure that assesses an individual’s relationship with language in a novel way. This paper consists of two studies. The first, a pilot study, develops the scale, examines its psychometric properties, and explores its relationship with theoretical correlates based on responses from online participants. The second is a replication study that aims to determine whether the pilot study’s results replicated in a different sample who filled out the questionnaire in person.