Hypervigilance Index

Aliases

• HVI
• Hypervigilance Index
• hypervigilance index

Definition

HVI is a yes/no combination of variables proposed to reflect defensive alertness and interpersonal distance. Empirical support for interpreting it as hypervigilance or distrust is weak and inconsistent, so a positive result remains a low-confidence hypothesis.

Interpretation

• If HVI is positive, first determine whether actual danger, trauma history, cultural guardedness, or independently observed vigilance supports the hypothesis.
• The pattern is usually read more as defensive disposition than as an automatic paranoid diagnosis.
• The constellation gains meaning when it appears with SumT_inter, Zf, Zd, S_aff, H_ratio, and HumanCont.
• Real danger or recent threat experiences can also affect the pattern.

Cautions

• The yes/no decision does not establish vigilance when positive, and its absence does not rule out elevated vigilance.
• Cultural and situational factors can influence reserve, distance, and guardedness.
• The primary T = 0 rule and the secondary conditions need to be read together.

Cautions

• HVI shows a pattern of alertness and defense, not its cause by itself.
• It should be reviewed together with S, Zf, Zd, H_ratio, and interpersonal variables.

Variables to Review Together

• SumT_inter
• Zf_proc
• Zd_proc
• S_aff
• H_ratio

Cross References

• [Interpretation/Special Indices] Special Indices
• [Interpretation/Interpersonal] SumT
• [Interpretation/Processing] Zf
• [Interpretation/Processing] Zd
• [Interpretation/Affect] S
• [Interpretation/Self Perception] H Ratio
• [Interpretation/Interpersonal] Human Content

Evidence Strength

• Evidence tier: weak-inconsistent
• Empirical support for interpreting HVI as hypervigilance or distrust is weak and inconsistent.
• Keep a positive result as a low-confidence organizing hypothesis unless actual danger, trauma history, cultural guardedness, and independently observed vigilance support it.