Why Do We Have Internal Dialogues? Development and Validation of the Functions of Dialogues-Revised Questionnaire (FUND-R)

People are often engaged in internal dialogues. It means that they adopt (at least) two different viewpoints and the utterances formulated (silently or aloud) from these viewpoints respond to one another. Internal dialogues fulfill several important functions. However, this complexity has not been reflected in how the functions of internal dialogues are measured and investigated. To provide a more nuanced picture of the functions of internal dialogues, we developed the Functions of Dialogues-Revised Questionnaire (FUND-R). Study 1 aimed to explore (n = 248) and confirm (n = 538) the internal structure of the FUND-R. Study 2 (n = 341) was designed to reconfirm this structure and examine reliability and validity of the method. In Study 1 the FUND-R has been confirmed to have six subscales, measuring six functions of internal dialogues: Analyzing, Bonding, Self-Knowing, Fantasizing, Ruminating, and Testing. Study 2 reconfirmed the structure and revealed high reliability and validity of the FUND-R. Validity was assessed via convergence with personality traits, two types of self-attentiveness, and stress-coping styles. The analysis of criterion validity also included comparison of FUND-R scores across different interlocutors, and situations discussed in dialogues. The FUND-R has been confirmed as a reliable and valid measure of functions of internal dialogues for use in research settings.

Automated summary

People engage in internal dialogues, adopting multiple viewpoints and responding to each other using different utterances. To provide a more nuanced understanding of the functions of internal dialogues, a Functions of Dialogues-Revised Questionnaire (FUND-R) was developed. Two studies confirmed the internal structure of FUND-R, which includes six subscales measuring functions such as analyzing, bonding, self-knowing, fantasizing, ruminating, and testing. The FUND-R was found to be a reliable and valid measure for researching the functions of internal dialogues.