Factor structure, concurrent validity, and internal consistency of the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition in a sample of college students

We examined the psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) [Beck et al., 1996, San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation]. Four hundred fourteen undergraduate students at two public universities participated. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the BDI-II two-factor structure measuring cognitive-affective and somatic depressive symptoms. In addition, the internal consistency was high and the concurrent validity of the BDI-II was supported by positive correlations with self-report measures of depression and anxiety. These findings replicate prior research supporting the validity and reliability of the BDI-II in a college sample.     

Developing scales measuring disorder-specific intolerance of uncertainty (DSIU): A new perspective on transdiagnostic

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a construct of growing prominence in literature on anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder. Existing measures of IU do not define the uncertainty that respondents perceive as distressing. To address this limitation, we developed eight scales measuring disorder-specific intolerance of uncertainty (DSIU) relating to various anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder. We used exploratory factor analysis and item characteristic curves in two large undergraduate samples (Ns = 627 and 628) to derive eight three-item DSIU scales (24 items total) that exhibited excellent psychometric properties. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factor structures of the scales and the transdiagnostic nature of IU. Each scale predicted unique variance in its respective symptom measure beyond a traditional measure of IU. DSIU represents a theoretically proximal and causal intermediary between known vulnerability factors and disorder symptomatology. The DSIU scales can be used to advance theories of psychopathology and inform case conceptualization and treatment planning.     

Dimensionality of somatic complaints: factor structure and psychometric properties of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale

Somatic complaints are often key features of anxiety pathology. Although most measures of anxiety symptoms capture somatic complaints to some degree, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was developed primarily as a measure of somatic symptoms associated with anxiety responding. We evaluated the psychometric properties and factor structure of the SAS in two large undergraduate samples who completed the SAS and measures of anxiety and depression. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four lower-order SAS factors in both samples: (1) anxiety and panic; (2) vestibular sensations; (3) somatic control; and, (4) gastrointestinal/muscular sensations. The SAS demonstrated good reliability in both samples, and the correlations between the SAS factors and other anxiety variables provide supportive evidence for convergent validity, though evidence for discriminant validity was limited. The strengths and limitations of the SAS are offered as well as the implications of our findings for the nature and assessment of somatic complaints in anxiety disorders.     

Preliminary factor and psychometric analysis of the Motivation for Fear (MOTIF) survey

To address the call for evidence-based functional assessments, this study determined the factor structure and psychometric properties (i.e., reliability, convergent and discriminant validity) of the Motivation for Fear (MOTIF) survey, a newly created, 24-item functional measure of fear and anxiety. Participants were 1277 college students (ages 18-35 years; 74.7% female). A separate questionnaire verified presence of anxiety symptoms, resulting in 583 participants. Exploratory factory analysis, scree plot, parallel analysis, and oblique rotation, were used. Results converged on a 4-factor simple structure solution with 18 items. The functions (distress, attention/comfort-seeking, tangible, and escape) explained 43% of the variance and internal consistency was above .70 for distress and attention/comfort-seeking. The distress and attention/comfort-seeking functions demonstrated clear reliability and support was found for discriminant and convergent construct validity of the MOTIF. Evidence was lacking regarding functional convergent validity, however. Implications for the findings and potential for clinical use are discussed.     

Psychometric validation of a monitoring-blunting measure for social anxiety disorder: the coping styles questionnaire for social situations (CSQSS)

The purpose of this investigation was to conduct a psychometric validation of the Coping Styles Questionnaire for Social Situations (CSQSS). The CSQSS was developed to measure monitoring and blunting coping styles in social situations based on Miller's conceptualization of how individuals cope with threat-related information. Study 1 evaluated the content validity of the CSQSS monitoring and blunting items. Study 2 examined factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the CSQSS in a sample of 443 college students. Evidence supported the content and face validity of the CSQSS. In addition, an exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution consistent with the monitoring and blunting constructs. Both monitoring and blunting scores were positively correlated with measures of social anxiety, with blunting having a stronger relationship. Moreover, individuals with high social anxiety engaged in a significantly higher degree of monitoring and blunting than did individuals with low social anxiety. Taken together, these results provide support for the reliability and validity of the CSQSS. The CSQSS may serve as a useful measure for further examination of monitoring and blunting coping styles in a social anxiety disorder sample.     

Evaluation of the psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

OBJECTIVE: To assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). METHOD: We administered HADS to 685 participants (256 controls and 429 patients with five different diagnoses). The reliability of the instrument was assessed by a test-retest study. Construct validity studies were carried out through item-subscale correlation and factor analysis for the whole group and by each of the five different diagnoses. Three instruments were used as external criteria to assess concurrent validity. RESULTS: HADS test-retest reliability presented correlation coefficients above 0.85. The internal consistency was high, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86 (anxiety) and 0.86 (depression). Factor analysis showed a clear two-factor structure for all groups. The results showed high concurrent validity with the Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and with the mental domains of the Short-Form Health Survey. CONCLUSION: The Spanish version of the HADS demonstrated good reliability and validity when used in medical patients.     

Are worry,rumination, and post-event processing one and the same?: Development of the repetitive thinking questionnaire

Accumulating evidence suggests that repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic phenomenon. However, various forms of RNT such as worry, rumination, and post-event processing have been assessed using separate measures and have almost exclusively been examined within the anxiety, depression, and social phobia literatures, respectively. A single transdiagnostic measure of RNT would facilitate the identification of transdiagnostic maintaining factors of RNT, and would be more efficient than administering separate measures for each disorder. Items from three existing measures of RNT were modified to remove diagnosis-specific content and administered to a sample of undergraduate students (N = 284). Exploratory factor analysis yielded two factors labeled Repetitive Negative Thinking and Absence of Repetitive Thinking (ART). The RNT scale demonstrated high internal reliability and was associated with anxiety, depression, anger, shame, and general distress. Moreover, the RNT scale was associated with constructs that are theoretically related to engagement in RNT, including positive and negative metacognitions, cognitive avoidance, thought suppression, and thought control strategies. The ART scale had little predictive utility. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.     

The structure of worry: relations between positive/negative personality characteristics and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire

The present studies investigated the structure, correlates, and predictors of worry, as assessed by the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), in a large nonclinical sample (N=1439). Exploratory factor analysis of the PSWQ in Study 1 revealed a two-factor solution (Worry Engagement and Absence of Worry). Confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 indicated that the two-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than a one-factor model. The PSWQ and its factors evidenced good internal consistency, and correlations with measures of positive and negative state-trait variables provided evidence for good convergent and discriminant validity in both studies. Evidence for the specificity of the two-factor solution was also found such that the Worry Engagement factor demonstrated higher correlations with negative state-trait variables than the Absence of Worry factor. However, path analyses in Study 3 examining predictors of worry provided support for a one-factor solution to the PSWQ. Furthermore, path analyses showed that trait anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between negative characteristics and worry, whereas trait anxiety inversely mediated the relationship between positive characteristics and worry. These findings support the use of the PSWQ in research examining the nature of worry and highlight how positive and negative characteristics may have unique relations with worry in the context of trait anxiety.     

“Fearful cognitions associated with eating pathology” psychometric properties of a new scale

The psychometric properties of a new scale that measures fearful cognitions associated with eating problems were explored, using two independent samples of undergraduate females. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted to revise and shorten the scale. Study 2 reproduced the factor structure and positive relationship between fearful cognitions and eating pathology. Additionally, regression analyses demonstrated discriminant and incremental validity, since the scale explained 27% of the variance in eating pathology, and was independent of the effects of anxiety and depression. Implications for treatment, and a cognitive model of fears associated with eating disorders are discussed.     

Factor structure of the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire does not generalize to an anxious/depressed sample

OBJECTIVE: The tripartite model of anxiety and depression has been proposed as a representation of the structure of anxiety and depression symptoms. The Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ) has been put forwards as a valid measure of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression symptoms. This research set out to examine the factor structure of anxiety and depression symptoms in a clinical sample to assess the MASQ's validity for use in this population. METHOD: The present study uses confirmatory factor analytic methods to examine the psychometric properties of the MASQ in 470 outpatients with anxiety and mood disorder. RESULTS: The results showed that none of the previously reported two-factor, three-factor or five-factor models adequately fit the data, irrespective of whether items or subscales were used as the unit of analysis. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the factor structure of the MASQ in a mixed anxiety/depression clinical sample does not support a structure consistent with the tripartite model. This suggests that researchers using the MASQ with anxious/depressed individuals should be mindful of the instrument's psychometric limitations.