Focusing on situation‐specific expectations in major depression as basis for behavioural experiments – Development of the Depressive Expectations Scale

• DOI: 10.1111/papt.12114
• Publication Date: 2016-12-09T13:46:57Z
• Authors: Tobias Kube; Lisa D'Astolfo; Julia A. Glombiewski; Bettina K. Doering; Winfried Rief
• Keywords: Dysfunctional family; Depression; Patient Health Questionnaire

Dysfunctional expectations are considered to be core features of various mental disorders. The aim the study was develop Depressive Expectations Scale (DES) as a depression-specific measure for assessment dysfunctional expectations. Whereas previous research primarily focused on general cognitions and attitudes, DES assesses 25 future-directed (originally 75 items) which situation-specific falsifiable.To evaluate psychometric properties DES, scale completed by 175 participants with without severe depressive symptoms in an online survey. Participants additionally Patient Health Questionnaire modules depression (PHQ-9) anxiety (GAD-7). People experiencing were informed about help self-help organizations.Reliability analyses indicated excellent internal consistency scale. An exploratory factor revealed four factors: social rejection, support, mood regulation, ability perform. sum score strongly correlated severity symptoms. also significantly generalized anxiety.The shown have reliability; validity promising. As items falsifiable, they can tested individual using behavioural experiments may therefore facilitate cognitive restructuring. Thus, structured patients' expectation provide basis interventions within cognitive-behavioural treatment depression.Assessing patients conduction test For use experiments, therapists should choose those patient agrees on. To modify expectations, exposed situations where discrepancy between actual situational outcomes maximized. repeatedly monitor patient's progress treatment.