The Selfobject Needs Inventory (SONI self-report scale) was originally designed for thepurpose of empirically testing some of Kohut’s key concepts (Banai, et al., 2005). The SONIconsists of 38 items constructed to tap the avoidance (denial of selfobject needs) or approach orientation (selfobject hunger) towards the selfobject needs for mirroring, idealization andtwinship. These concepts are explained in detail in chapter 3. In filling out the SONI, arespondent rates the extent to which each item is self-descriptive on a 7-point scale, from “notat all” (1) to “very much” (7). Each question is part of a set of questions tapping a certainorientation. The five factors the self-report scale measures are:

1. Approach orientation towards twinship (hunger).2. Avoidance orientation towards idealization and twinship (denial).3. Approach orientation for idealization (hunger).4. Approach orientation for mirroring (hunger).5. Avoidance orientation towards the need for mirroring (denial).

This instrument was created by Banai, Mikulincer, and Shaver (2005) toconservative approach to Freudian psychoanalysis, which characterizes unmetdevelopmental needs as the basis for much of people’s psychopathology. According toBanai, et al., “Kohut (1971) called these needs ‘selfobject needs’ because they areassociated with sustaining the self and are satisfied (or not) by external figures in aperson’s life” (2005, p. 224).measure Kohut’s self-psychology constructs. Kohut’s (1971, 1977) theory articulates his

The scale consists of 38 items, each measuring an approach or avoidanceorientation for a need. Eight items measured an approach toward twinship (“I feelstronger when I have people around who are dealing with similar problems”), seven items for an approach to idealization (“Associating with successful people allows me to feel successful as well”), six items for an approach to mirroring (“I feel hurt when myachievements are not sufficiently admired”), six items for avoidance toward mirroring (“Iknow that I’m successful, so I have no need for others’ feedback”), and 11 items measure avoidance toward idealization and twinship (“I find it difficult to accept guidance even from people I respect”); there is no significant difference on avoidance between these final two needs. Each item was rated on a 7-point Likert scale, and all answers for a subscale were aggregated (but subscale totals were not combined). Banai, et al. (2005). reported the following Cronbach’s alphas for the individual subscales: approach toward twinship, .91; approach toward idealization, .83; approach toward

mirroring, .81; avoidance toward mirroring, .79; avoidance toward idealization/twinship, .83. The authors also reported test-retest reliabilities from .84 to .87 after a two-month interval. Additional reliability and validity information can be found among the numerous studies included in Banai, et al.’s article (2005).