Journal article
Examining the structure of distress tolerance: Are behavioral and self-report indicators assessing the same construct?
Journal of contextual behavioral science, Vol.27, pp.143-151
01/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.02.001
PMCID: PMC9997101
PMID: 36911144
Abstract
Distress tolerance, or the ability to tolerate physically and emotionally aversive experiences, is a target of psychological intervention in contextual behavioral science. It has been conceptualized as a self-reported ability, as well as a behavioral tendency, and operationalized with a wide variety of questionnaires and behavioral tasks. The current study aimed to investigate whether behavioral tasks and self-report assessments of distress tolerance measure the same underlying dimension, two correlated dimensions, or whether method factors accounted for covariation above and beyond a general content dimension. A university student sample (N = 288) completed behavioral tasks associated with distress tolerance and self-report distress tolerance measures. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that behavioral and self-report assessments of distress tolerance do not comprise a single dimension of distress tolerance, or two correlated dimensions of self-report or behavioral distress tolerance. Results also failed to support a bifactor conceptualization with a general distress tolerance dimension and domain-specific method dimensions for behavioral and self-report assessments. Findings suggest that more precision and attention to contextual factors are required in the operationalization and conceptualization of distress tolerance.
•Distress tolerance (DT) is a transdiagnostic target of psychological intervention.•Self-report surveys and behavioral tasks are both used to measure DT.•No research to date has determined if surveys and tasks measure the same construct.•Confirmatory factor analysis assessed how tasks and surveys hang together.•Unidimensional, two-factor, and bifactor models all demonstrated inadequate fit.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Examining the structure of distress tolerance: Are behavioral and self-report indicators assessing the same construct?
- Creators
- Ti Hsu - University of IowaEmily B.K. Thomas - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAEmma K. Welch - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAMichael W. O'Hara - University of IowaJennifer E. McCabe - Western Washington University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of contextual behavioral science, Vol.27, pp.143-151
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.02.001
- PMID
- 36911144
- PMCID
- PMC9997101
- NLM abbreviation
- J Contextual Behav Sci
- ISSN
- 2212-1447
- eISSN
- 2212-1455
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984375458402771
Metrics
12 Record Views