@article{ref1,
title="The Beck Hopelessness Scale's psychometric features: a new short version based on item response theory",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2024",
author="Bottaro, Rossella and Faraci, Palmira",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The assessment of hopelessness plays a significant role in preventing various psychological disorders and major life events within the general population. However, the psychometric properties of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) have been a subject of controversy, primarily studied in clinical groups. The aim of the present study was to gain new psychometric insights and propose a new short version of the BHS for the general population using the Item Response Theory (IRT) approach. <br><br>METHODS: A total of 2164 Argentinean individuals completed the BHS alongside the Inventory of Suicide Orientation-30. We compared IRT models with two and three parameters for the original BHS version, exploring the removal of redundant and less informative items. Convergent and discriminant validity was also examined. <br><br>RESULTS: Our results support the 2PL model for the BHS-19. In addition, the BHS-10 short version adequately depicted the same range of the measured trait as the original version, showing reasonable measurement accuracy in the middle-high levels of the trait (marginal reliability = 0.70, Cronbach's α = 0.86). Notably, a positive correlation was found between the factorial score of BHS-10, BHS-19, and suicide orientation. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings support the use of a simplified version as a practical and valuable tool for both research and clinical practice in the future.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.048",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.048"
}