Exploring the Personal Construction of Psychological Change via Graph Theory: Validation of the Weighted Implication Grid

This study presents a mathematical modeling approach to psychological constructs through the Weighted Implication Grid (WimpGrid), a semi-structured interview designed to assess individuals' anticipations about psychological change. By applying Graph Theory and algebraic formalization, WimpGrid captures the dynamic structure of personal construct systems, quantifying relationships between constructs and modeling their influence within a directed network. The study employs a Multitrait-Multimethod analysis to evaluate WimpGrid’s reliability and validity across three core psychological constructs: Emotional Adjustment, Centrality of Meanings, and Resistance to Change. A within-subject design (N = 87) was implemented, comparing WimpGrid with the Repertory Grid and Self-Report methods. The results demonstrate a strong convergent validity for WimpGrid and a strong test-retest reliability (r = .92). The mathematical formalization based on graph-theoretic modeling enables the quantification of construct interrelations and their influence within a personal meaning system. This framework enables the development of psychometric indices that capture key aspects of self-organization, positioning WimpGrid as a promising tool for modeling dynamic self-structures and the construction of psychological change.