title: Initial development of a brief measure of psychological distress.
abstract: This paper addresses the preliminary development, construct validity, and psychometric properties of a brief self-report measure of psychological distress. 40 items were originally generated by doctoral level psychologists for use in the preliminary clinical sample. Inpatients from a psychiatric unit (N = 125) completed the items, and a principal-components analysis with a direct oblimin rotation was used to evaluate construct validity. The study indicated a four-factor solution, using the constructs of Depression, Hopelessness, Anxiety, and Anger, with good estimates of reliability. After evaluation of factor structure, item analyses, and reliability estimates, a redacted 19-item scale was identified.
authors.affiliation: Baylor University, 77 Cottonwood, Waco, Texas 76706, USA. Gary_Elkins@baylor.edu
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Elkins
authors.forename: William I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Aimee K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Cassie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kendrick
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koep
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bunn
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perfect
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology