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Evaluating the Invariance and Validity of the Structure of Dysfunctional Attitudes in an Adolescent Population

University of California, Los Angeles, jmprenov{at}ucla.edu

Richard E. Zinbarg

Northwestern University The Family Institute at Northwestern University

Michelle G. Craske

University of California, Los Angeles

Susan Mineka

Northwestern University

James W. Griffith

Northwestern University

Raphael D. Rose

University of California, Los Angeles

Form A of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS-A), a self-report measure of depressive beliefs, is widely used to test Beck's cognitive model of depression. The present study is the first to evaluate the DAS-A factor structure in an adolescent population of 542 high school juniors and the first to examine a hierarchical model. Findings support the existence of a hierarchical structure consisting of two conceptually meaningful group factors (Dysfunctional Attitudes About Achievement and Dysfunctional Attitudes About Needing Approval), a method factor consisting of reverse-worded items, and a general factor, which accounts for 65% of the variance in total scores. The general factor is related to sociotropy, autonomy, and neuroticism, whereas the Dysfunctional Attitudes About Achievement and Dysfunctional Attitudes About Needing Approval factors demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity with respect to autonomy and sociotropy. The structure displays partial metric invariance in female and male students as well as in Caucasian and Non-Caucasian students.

Key Words: DAS-A • dysfunctional attitudes • sociotropy • autonomy • factor analysis

This version was published on September 1, 2009

Assessment, Vol. 16, No. 3, 258-273 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1073191108324519


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