ABSTRACT
The psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) were evaluated in a normal sample of N = 717 who were also administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The DASS was shown to possess satisfactory psychometric properties, and the factor structure was substantiated both by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. In comparison to the BDI and BAI, the DASS scales showed greater separation in factor loadings. The DASS Anxiety scale correlated 0.81 with the BAI, and the DASS Depression scale correlated 0.74 with the BDI. Factor analyses suggested that the BDI differs from the DASS Depression scale primarily in that the BDI includes items such as weight loss, insomnia, somatic preoccupation and irritability, which fail to discriminate between depression and other affective states. The factor structure of the combined BDI and BAI items was virtually identical to that reported by Beck for a sample of diagnosed depressed and anxious patients, supporting the view that these clinical states are more severe expressions of the same states that may be discerned in normals. Implications of the results for the conceptualisation of depression, anxiety and tension/stress are considered, and the utility of the DASS scales in discriminating between these constructs is discussed.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Personality Inventory/statistics & numerical data , Stress, Psychological/complications , Adult , Anxiety/diagnosis , Depression/diagnosis , Discriminant Analysis , Female , Humans , Male , Psychometrics , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Seventy-five persons (57 male and 18 female) with a high risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) were randomly assigned in equal numbers to three 8-week behavioral treatment programs. All three treatments were designed to alter simultaneously a number of risk-elevating behavior patterns, in the expectation that change in any one behavior pattern would reinforce change in others. Weight, blood pressure, and aerobic fitness were regularly assessed in all subjects. Serum lipids were also measured, but less frequently. All three interventions produced significant beneficial changes in the major objective measures, and the changes were well maintained after 12 months. The most improved group exhibited the following mean changes: weight loss of 9.2 kg, reductions in blood pressure of 12.9/8.8 mm Hg, improvement in aerobic capacity of 33%, reduction in serum cholesterol of 0.45 mmol/liter, and reduction in current overall CHD risk of 41%. The effectiveness of the interventions was positively related to the degree to which the programs emphasized training in, and detailed application of, behavioral change principles.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Coronary Disease/prevention & control , Adult , Blood Pressure , Body Weight , Cholesterol/blood , Diet, Reducing , Dietary Fats/administration & dosage , Exercise Therapy , Feedback , Female , Goals , Health Education , Humans , Life Style , Male , Middle Aged , Physical Fitness , Random Allocation , Relaxation Therapy , Risk , Smoking Prevention , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
It is suggested that in the future alcohol abuse is likely to be treated as part of a program of general health management designed to change a number of health-related behaviors simultaneously. The overall program will emphasize detailed contingency and stimulus management procedures in the early stages, with control passing to generalized reinforcers and new cue stimuli as training proceeds. The client/patient will be an active participant from the start and will be given ultimate responsibility for managing his/her own behavior. There is likely to be a resurgence of interest in aversive procedures as a means of assisting behavioral self-management.
