An illustration of the use of repertory grid technique in a clinical setting.

A modification of repertory grid technique has been used to study a man who had committed several acts of arson. Six grids of different types were given showing its flexibility and, within the limits of the sample of constructs used, that the technique has internal, predictive and content validity and indications of an acceptable level of test-retest reliability. These generalizations are true in spite of element changes but only so long as the elements are within the range of convenience of the constructs. Its possible uses include the testing of hypotheses derived from explanations of the behaviour of the individual patient, a method of tracing conceptual changes in the patient resulting from psychotherapy and a possible basis for the development of a measure of prognosis.