title: Measuring elderly people's quality of life through the Beck Hopelessness Scale: a study with a Spanish sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hopelessness is a key element of suicidal intent. It can instill a pessimistic outlook on the future, leading an individual to believe that suicide is the only answer to their problems. Hopelessness operates as a modulating variable between depression and suicidal behavior. The aim of this study was to confirm the factor structure of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in a non-clinical sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and sixty-two Spanish individuals, aged over 60, free of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms, completed the BHS scale. Participants were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), using one-, two- and three-factor models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one- and two-factor models presented adequate fit indices. Specifically, the indices of the two-factor models were better than those of the one-factor model. The two-factor model, without items 4, 9 and 14, provided the best fit, given that the indices obtained in the CFA and their internal consistency were better than those of the other models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The validation of the BHS for a population of Spanish older adults provides a reliable and valid measure of hopelessness and could be useful in clinical practice and research as an effective tool for the early detection of suicidal behaviors.
authors: a Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology , University of Valencia , Spain.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Satorres
authors: b Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine , University of Castilla La Mancha , Spain.
authors: L
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5567-8589
authors: L
authors: Ros
authors: a Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology , University of Valencia , Spain.
authors: J C
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6353-6035
authors: JC
authors: Meléndez
authors: b Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine , University of Castilla La Mancha , Spain.
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Serrano
authors: b Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine , University of Castilla La Mancha , Spain.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Latorre
authors: a Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology , University of Valencia , Spain.
authors: A
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7070-8130
authors: A
authors: Sales
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005639:Frustration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Hopelessness; aging; confirmatory factor analysis; depression; validity