Rüya-Daniela Kocalevent1, Carolyn Finck2, Mónica Pérez-Trujillo2, Leon Sautier1, Jördis Zill1, Andreas Hinz3. 1. a Institute and Policlinic for Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany. 2. b Department of Psychology , Universidad de Los Andes , Bogotá , Colombia , and. 3. c Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology , University of Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a self-report instrument for the quantification of hopelessness in nonpsychiatric, as well as psychiatric patients. Hopelessness is a key psychological variable in suicide prediction. Until now the psychometric properties of the instrument have not been studied in a representative sample of the general population. AIMS: The objectives of the study were to generate normative data and to further investigate the construct validity and factorial structure of the BHS. METHODS: A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was conducted in Colombia in 2012 (N = 1500). RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the BHS was 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model, achieving good fit indices (total sample: RMSEA = 0.043, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.921). Normative data for the BHS were generated for both genders and different age levels. Intercorrelations with hopelessness were highest for depression (r = 0.57), followed by anxiety (r = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: The normative data provide a framework for the interpretation and comparisons of the BHS with other populations. Evidence supports reliability and validity of the three-factor BHS as a measure of hopelessness in the general population.
BACKGROUND: The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a self-report instrument for the quantification of hopelessness in nonpsychiatric, as well as psychiatricpatients. Hopelessness is a key psychological variable in suicide prediction. Until now the psychometric properties of the instrument have not been studied in a representative sample of the general population. AIMS: The objectives of the study were to generate normative data and to further investigate the construct validity and factorial structure of the BHS. METHODS: A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was conducted in Colombia in 2012 (N = 1500). RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the BHS was 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model, achieving good fit indices (total sample: RMSEA = 0.043, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.921). Normative data for the BHS were generated for both genders and different age levels. Intercorrelations with hopelessness were highest for depression (r = 0.57), followed by anxiety (r = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: The normative data provide a framework for the interpretation and comparisons of the BHS with other populations. Evidence supports reliability and validity of the three-factor BHS as a measure of hopelessness in the general population.
Entities:
Keywords:
BHS; general population; hopelessness; standardized data
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