The Listening Styles Profile-Revised (LSP-R): A Scale Revision and Evidence for Validity

The Listening Styles Profile (LSP-16) is the most widely used self-report listening instrument in the communication discipline. Unfortunately, researchers have utilized the instrument despite its uncharacteristically low reliability estimates and unvalidated factor structure. The following manuscript presents results from two studies designed to address these limitations. Study 1 proposes a revised measure (Listening Styles Profile-Revised; LSP-R) based on four factors: relational, analytical, task-oriented, and critical listening. Study 2 was designed to further refine and provide validity evidence for the revised scale. Internal consistency estimates and latent variable test-retest correlations showed the LSP-R to be consistent over repeated administrations; the factors were related to number of listening, information processing, empathy, communication trait, and personality variables. Beyond identifying orientations toward attending to others, the instrument developed here possesses heuristic potential for investigating the role and positive potential of listening within a variety of specific research agendas and theoretical perspectives.