Author: David Humble
Affiliation: Sovereign Integrity Institute (SII)
Date: April 22, 2026
Document Type: Research Protocol / Instrument Development
Classification: Psychological Assessment / Psychometrics
Abstract
The Autonomous Regulation and Boundary Integrity Scale (ARBIS-45) is a 45-item multidimensional self-report instrument designed to assess nine domains of self-regulation, autonomy, and interpersonal boundary functioning. The instrument integrates constructs from Polyvagal Theory, Locus of Control, emotional regulation research, and boundary integrity theory.
The nine domains assessed are: (1) Autonomic & Emotional Regulation, (2) Response Inhibition (Non-Reactivity), (3) Social-Cognitive Pattern Recognition, (4) Documentation Practices, (5) Boundary Integrity, (6) Co-Regulation Capacity, (7) Outcome Detachment, (8) Sustained Regulation Capacity, and (9) Self-Ownership.
This paper presents the finalized item pool, scoring procedures, and an enhanced pilot validation protocol incorporating internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent and discriminant validity. The ARBIS-45 is intended for research use in resilience, stress adaptation, and autonomy-related psychological functioning.
1. Introduction
1.1 Theoretical Background
Autonomous regulation refers to the capacity to maintain physiological stability, emotional control, and behavioral independence under conditions of stress or external pressure.
This construct draws from:
- Polyvagal Theory — autonomic flexibility and vagal tone
- Locus of Control — internal vs. external control attribution
- Emotional regulation frameworks — modulation of affective responses
- Boundary integrity research — protection of psychological space
While these domains are well-studied independently, no unified instrument integrates them into a single multidimensional framework.
1.2 Instrument Objective
The ARBIS-45 was developed to:
- Measure nine interrelated domains of regulation and autonomy
- Provide factor-level and total scores for profiling
- Enable pre/post intervention assessment
- Support research on resilience and adaptive functioning
2. Instrument Structure
2.1 Factor Model
| Factor | Domain |
|---|---|
| F1 | Autonomic & Emotional Regulation |
| F2 | Response Inhibition |
| F3 | Pattern Recognition |
| F4 | Documentation Practices |
| F5 | Boundary Integrity |
| F6 | Co-Regulation Capacity |
| F7 | Outcome Detachment |
| F8 | Sustained Regulation Capacity |
| F9 | Self-Ownership |
Each factor contains 5 items (total = 45 items).
2.2 Response Format
5-point Likert scale:
| Score | Label |
|---|---|
| 0 | Never |
| 1 | Rarely |
| 2 | Sometimes |
| 3 | Often |
| 4 | Always |
Timeframe: Past 30 days
3. Scoring
| Metric | Range |
|---|---|
| Factor score | 0–20 |
| Total score | 0–180 |
Interpretation (Preliminary)
| Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–60 | Low regulation/autonomy |
| 61–120 | Moderate |
| 121–180 | High |
4. Enhanced Pilot Validation Study
4.1 Study Design
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Design | Cross-sectional + test–retest subset |
| Sample size | n = 180–250 |
| Subsample | n ≥ 60 (test–retest) |
| Age range | 18–65 |
| Recruitment | Online + convenience sampling |
| Duration | ~15 minutes |
4.2 Measures
Primary Instrument
- ARBIS-45
Convergent Validity
| Construct | Measure | Expected |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional regulation | DERS | Negative |
| Stress | Perceived Stress Scale | Negative |
| Resilience | Brief Resilience Scale | Positive |
| Locus of control | Rotter Scale | Positive |
Discriminant Validity
| Construct | Measure | Expected |
|---|---|---|
| Social desirability | Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale | Weak correlation (r ≤ .25) |
| Narcissism | Narcissistic Personality Inventory | Weak/negative |
| Anxiety | GAD-7 | Moderate negative |
5. Statistical Analysis Plan
5.1 Reliability
| Metric | Criterion |
|---|---|
| Cronbach’s alpha | ≥ 0.70 per factor |
| Total scale alpha | ≥ 0.85 |
5.2 Test–Retest Reliability
- Method: Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)
- Interval: 2–3 weeks
- Target: ICC ≥ 0.70
5.3 Factor Analysis
Step 1: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
- Extraction: Principal Axis Factoring
- Rotation: Oblique (Promax)
Step 2: Parallel Analysis
- Determines optimal factor number
- Prevents over-extraction
Step 3: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
- Split sample:
- n ≈ 120 (EFA)
- n ≈ 120 (CFA)
5.4 Validity Testing
| Type | Method | Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Convergent | Pearson r | ≥ .30 |
| Discriminant | Pearson r | ≤ .25 |
| Model fit (CFA) | CFI, TLI, RMSEA | Standard thresholds |
6. Hypotheses
- H1: ARBIS total positively correlates with resilience (r ≥ .40)
- H2: F1 negatively correlates with stress (r ≤ −.40)
- H3: F9 positively correlates with internal locus of control (r ≥ .35)
- H4: F5 negatively correlates with emotional dysregulation (r ≤ −.40)
- H5: ARBIS shows weak correlation with social desirability (r ≤ .25)
7. Bias Control
7.1 Social Desirability
Controlled via inclusion of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale
7.2 Common Method Bias
- Statistical check: Harman’s single-factor test
- Design note: Future multi-method validation recommended
8. Limitations
| Limitation | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Self-report bias | Add behavioral/physiological validation |
| Cross-sectional design | Longitudinal follow-up planned |
| Factor inflation risk | Parallel analysis + CFA |
| Sampling bias | Replication in diverse populations |
9. Future Directions
9.1 ARBIS-30 Short Form
Item reduction based on:
- Factor loadings
- Item-total correlations
9.2 Longitudinal Validation
- Stability over time
- Sensitivity to intervention
9.3 Physiological Correlates
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
- Cortisol response
9.4 Cross-Cultural Validation
- Translation and invariance testing
10. Discussion
10.1 Positioning
The ARBIS-45 is best understood as:
A multidimensional autonomy and regulation capacity index
It is not:
- A diagnostic tool
- A personality inventory
10.2 Contribution
ARBIS-45 extends existing instruments by integrating:
- Behavioral (documentation, boundaries)
- Cognitive (pattern recognition)
- Physiological (regulation)
- Interpersonal (co-regulation)
No existing scale combines these domains into a unified structure.
11. Conclusion
The ARBIS-45 provides a structured, multidimensional assessment of regulation, autonomy, and boundary integrity. The enhanced pilot validation protocol incorporates reliability testing, factor validation, and bias controls necessary for rigorous psychometric evaluation.
Pending empirical validation, the instrument has potential applications in:
- Psychological research
- Resilience studies
- Intervention assessment
12. References (Selected)
Cohen et al. (1983). Perceived Stress Scale
Gratz & Roemer (2004). DERS
Rotter (1966). Locus of Control
Smith et al. (2008). Brief Resilience Scale
Porges (2011). Polyvagal Theory
Nartova-Bochaver (2014). Psychological sovereignty
