The Beck Hopelessness Scale's psychometric features: A new short form based on item response theory.

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. 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. 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. 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.

Association Between Perceived Social Support, Illness Perception, Life Orientation, Life Satisfaction, and Quality of Life Within a Sample of Cancer Patients.

Introduction: The impact of cancer represents a severe crisis for both patients and relatives. The implications of social support on well-being were well studied but several classifications have been proposed. Objective: The present cross-sectional study was aimed at examining the association between perceived social support (PSS) from family, friends, and significant other and psychological well-being (illness perception, life orientation, life satisfaction, and quality of life). Method: Participants were 138 cancer patients recruited during waiting time for medical treatment or examination, mostly diagnosed for more than six months. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Life Orientation Test-Revised, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire were administered. Multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: Patients reported fatigue and loss of energy, and environmental pollution and change or bad luck as probable illness causes. Associations between (i) PSS from family and optimism, (ii) PSS from friends and personal control, coherence of disease, optimism, and physical functioning, (iii) PSS from significant other and life satisfaction were found. Conclusions: Our results revealed a specific role for each different PSS source.

Introducción: El impacto del cáncer representa una crisis severa tanto para los pacientes como para los familiares. Las implicaciones del apoyo social en el bienestar fueron bien estudiadas, pero se han propuesto varias clasificaciones. Objetivo: El presente estudio transversal tuvo como objetivo examinar la relación entre el apoyo social percibido (ASP), en relación a los familiares, amigos y la pareja, y el bienestar psicológico (percepción de la enfermedad, orientación, satisfacción y calidad de vida). Método: 138 pacientes con cáncer, en su mayoría diagnosticados durante más de tres años, quienes estaban a la espera de tratamiento. Se les aplicó la Escala Multidimensional de Apoyo Social Percibido, el Cuestionario de Percepción de la Enfermedad, la Prueba de Orientación a la Vida Revisada, la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida y el Cuestionario de Calidad de Vida para la Investigación del Cáncer. Se realizaron análisis de regresión múltiple. Resultados: Los pacientes informaron que la fatiga y la pérdida de energía, además de la contaminación ambiental y el cambio o la mala suerte eran las causas de enfermedad más elegidas. Se encontraron asociaciones entre ASP de la familia y optimismo, ASP de amigos y control personal, coherencia de la enfermedad, optimismo, funcionamiento físico y ASP de pareja y satisfacción de vida. Conclusiones: Los hallazgos revelaron una relevancia específica de las diversas fuentes de apoyo social percibido.