title: Standardization of the Beck Hopelessness Scale in the general population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a self-report instrument for the quantification of hopelessness in nonpsychiatric, as well as psychiatric patients. Hopelessness is a key psychological variable in suicide prediction. Until now the psychometric properties of the instrument have not been studied in a representative sample of the general population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the study were to generate normative data and to further investigate the construct validity and factorial structure of the BHS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was conducted in Colombia in 2012 (N = 1500).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the BHS was 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model, achieving good fit indices (total sample: RMSEA = 0.043, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.921). Normative data for the BHS were generated for both genders and different age levels. Intercorrelations with hopelessness were highest for depression (r = 0.57), followed by anxiety (r = 0.52).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The normative data provide a framework for the interpretation and comparisons of the BHS with other populations. Evidence supports reliability and validity of the three-factor BHS as a measure of hopelessness in the general population.
authors.affiliation: a Institute and Policlinic for Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Rüya-Daniela
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kocalevent
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Universidad de Los Andes , Bogotá , Colombia , and.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finck
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Universidad de Los Andes , Bogotá , Colombia , and.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Trujillo
authors.affiliation: a Institute and Policlinic for Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sautier
authors.affiliation: a Institute and Policlinic for Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Jördis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zill
authors.affiliation: c Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology , University of Leipzig , Leipzig , Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hinz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D065026:Hope; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BHS; general population; hopelessness; standardized data