Scoring Accuracy Using the Comprehensive System for the Rorschach

The Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1974, 1978) for scoring Rorschach responses is the most widely taught and most widely accepted system in use today. The complexity and labor-intensive nature of the CS makes the issue of scoring accuracy a central concern. Twenty-one graduate psychology students and 12 professionals scored 20 Rorschach responses drawn from normal and clinical protocols. In general, accuracy scores for both students and professionals were below acceptable levels. Accuracy scores were clearly better for the code categories of Location, DQ, Pairs, Popular, and Z than for Determinants, FQ, Content, and Special Scores. Responses from clinical protocols were subject to more error. The results suggest that high levels of scoring errors may exist in the field use of the CS. Training standards may need to be devised to insure scoring competence.