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The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) is a widely used measure of experiential avoidance and psychological inflexibility, two key constructs of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The main aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Spanish version of the AAQ-II in Colombia. A secondary aim was to analyze measurement invariance of the AAQ-II across nonclinical and clinical samples considering that previous research has yielded mixed results. The AAQ-II was administered to a total of 1759 participants, including a sample of undergraduates, one of general population, and a clinical sample. Data were very similar to the ones obtained in the original AAQ-II version. The internal consistency across the different samples was good (Cronbach’s alpha between 0.88 and 0.91). The one-factor model found in the original scale showed a good fit to the data. Measurement invariance was also found across sample (clinical and nonclinical) and gender. The mean score of the clinical sample on the AAQ-II was significantly higher than the scores of the nonclinical samples. The AAQ-II was sensitive to the effects of a one-session ACT intervention, and AAQ-II scores were significantly related to emotional symptoms, mindfulness, satisfaction with life, and dysfunctional attitudes. The Spanish version of the AAQ-II shows good psychometric properties in Colombia.
The Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale is one of the most popular instruments to measure mindfulness, and this construct is conceived as unidimensional, emphasizing attention/awareness as its essential aspect. This study aimed to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the MAAS in a Colombian sample of 762 undergraduates. Data were very similar to those obtained in other validation studies of the MAAS. A confirmatory factor analysis found that the expected one-factor structure showed a good fit to the data. The MAAS had excellent internal consistency, and showed theoretically coherent correlations with emotional symptoms, automatic negative thoughts, psychological inflexibility, and life satisfaction. Participants who could have a psychopathological problem because they exceeded the cut-off of the General Health Questionnaire, 12 scored lower on the MAAS than participants who scored below this cut-off. In conclusion, the MAAS seems to be a reliable and valid measure of mindfulness in Colombian undergraduates.Resumen
La Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale es uno de los instrumentos más populares para medir mindfulness, concibe este constructo como unidimensional y subraya el aspecto esencial de la atención/conciencia. Este estudio pretende analizar la estructura factorial y las propiedades psicométricas de la versión en español de la MAAS en una muestra de 762 universitarios colombianos. Los resultados fueron muy similares a los obtenidos en otros estudios de validación. El análisis factorial confirmatorio encontró que la estructura unifactorial esperada mostró un buen ajuste a los datos. La MAAS tuvo una consistencia interna excelente y mostró correlaciones teóricamente coherentes con síntomas emocionales, pensamientos automáticos negativos, inflexibilidad psicológica y satisfacción vital. Los participantes que podían tener algún problema psicopatológico por exceder el punto de corte del General Health Questionnaire – 12, puntuaron más bajo en la MAAS que los participantes que puntuaron por debajo de este punto de corte. En conclusión, la MAAS parece ser una medida fiable y válida de mindfulness en universitarios colombianos.
The Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) is a widely used, 30-item, 5-point Likert-type scale that measures the frequency of negative automatic thoughts as experienced by individuals suffering from depression. However, there is some controversy about the factor structure of the ATQ, and its application can be too time-consuming for survey research. Accordingly, an abbreviated, 8-item version of the ATQ has been proposed. The aim of this study was to analyze the validity evidence of the Spanish version of the ATQ-8 in Colombia. The ATQ-8 was administered to a total of 1587 participants, including a sample of undergraduates, one of general population, and a clinical sample. The internal consistency across the different samples was good (α = .89). The one-factor model found in the original scale showed a good fit to the data (RMSEA = .083, 90% CI [.074, .092]; CFI = .96; NNFI = .95). The clinical sample's mean score on the ATQ-8 was significantly higher than the scores of the nonclinical samples. The ATQ-8 was sensitive to the effects of a 1-session acceptance and commitment therapy focused on disrupting negative repetitive thinking. ATQ-8 scores were significantly related to dysfunctional schemas, emotional symptoms, mindfulness, experiential avoidance, satisfaction with life, and dysfunctional attitudes. In conclusion, the Spanish version of the ATQ-8 showed good psychometric properties in Colombia.