Abstract

MERA-ROSALES, Alberto et al. Psychometric characteristics of the Automatic Negative Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ-30) among Mexican population. J. behav. health soc. ISSUES [online]. 2011, vol.3, n.2, pp.61-75. ISSN 2007-0780.  https://doi.org/10.5460/jbhsi.v3.2.29923.

The Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire was validated with 1049 Mexican participants, 65.5% university students and 34.5% general population, 35% men and 65% women. The test yielded three factors: F1: disgust with oneself and on the circumstances (15 items), F2: guilt and sensation of being negatively evaluated by others (7 items) and F3: lack of efficacy (8 items), which together explained 52.45% of the variance, and produced a high index of reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95). Women scored higher than men (t = 5.79, p< .000), and the older group (36-69 years old) reported a higher index of negative thoughts in comparison with younger groups (F = 25.873, p < .000), lower academic training (elementary and high school levels) was also associated to higher scores of negative self-reports (F = 46.06, p <.000). This study concludes that the original 30-item instrument is a tool that provides reliable and valid data that allows discriminating response tendencies in regard to frequency of negative thinking by sex, age and academic training.

Keywords : Disgust; guilt; inefficacy; ATQ-30 questionnaire; self-report; Mexican population.