OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Psychological Distance Scaling Task (PDST), a measure of cognitive schema organization, in a community mental health setting. We also compared validity among African Americans and Caucasians. METHOD: In order to accommodate participants with low education levels, 26 out of 80 PDST word stimuli were replaced with similar words at a lower reading level. A sample of 466 (42% African American; 50% Caucasian; 8% other) community patients with major depressive disorder completed the PDST and a variety of depressive symptom measures. RESULTS: The modified PDST demonstrated acceptable validity within all subscales. Validity coefficients resembled those reported in prior studies and were similar within minority and non-minority subsamples. CONCLUSIONS: The modified PDST appears to be a valid measure of schema organization in a low-income, racially diverse population seeking treatment for depression at community clinics.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Psychological Distance Scaling Task (PDST), a measure of cognitive schema organization, in a community mental health setting. We also compared validity among African Americans and Caucasians. METHOD: In order to accommodate participants with low education levels, 26 out of 80 PDST word stimuli were replaced with similar words at a lower reading level. A sample of 466 (42% African American; 50% Caucasian; 8% other) community patients with major depressive disorder completed the PDST and a variety of depressive symptom measures. RESULTS: The modified PDST demonstrated acceptable validity within all subscales. Validity coefficients resembled those reported in prior studies and were similar within minority and non-minority subsamples. CONCLUSIONS: The modified PDST appears to be a valid measure of schema organization in a low-income, racially diverse population seeking treatment for depression at community clinics.
Authors: Susan V Eisen; Mariana Gerena; Gayatri Ranganathan; David Esch; Thomas Idiculla Journal: J Behav Health Serv Res Date: 2006-07 Impact factor: 1.505
Authors: David J A Dozois; Peter J Bieling; Irene Patelis-Siotis; Lori Hoar; Susan Chudzik; Katie McCabe; Henny A Westra Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2009-12