title: Psychometric properties of an instrument for measuring threat/control-override symptoms.
abstract: Threat/control-override symptoms refer to delusional persecutory thoughts and feelings of losing control over mind and body. The Threat/Control-Override Questionnaire (TCOQ) was developed to assess such symptoms, and the purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of this measure in nonclinical students (n = 759) and acute and stabilized psychotic patients (n = 111 and 33, respectively). Factor analysis of TCOQ data in students and acute psychotic patients yielded a two-factor solution, with components referring to "threat" and "control-override" symptoms. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were satisfactory and concurrent and discriminant validity were shown by a meaningful pattern of correlations with other self-report and interview measures. Group comparisons showed that patients displayed significantly higher scores on the TCOQ than did the nonclinical students. Altogether, it can be concluded that the TCOQ is a reliable and valid index for assessing feelings of persecution and losing control.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. nederlof@fsw.eur.nl.
authors.forename: Angela F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Nederlof
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muris
authors.forename: Johannes E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hovens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires