Psychometric Properties of the Swedish Version of the Brief Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10): An Internet-Based Study on Degrees of Affective Symptoms and Levels of Distress.

INTRODUCTION: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is reported in a wide variety of emotional disorders, although it is most often associated with either depression or anxiety disorders, assessed as symptoms of rumination and worry. Early detection of indicators for RNT across disorders is needed. To this end we explored the psychometric properties of a transdiagnostic measure, i.e., the Swedish version of the brief Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10), in adults (n = 674, age: 18 years or older). METHODS: Participants completed an online battery of questionnaires measuring RNT, anxiety, depression and levels of positive and negative affect, satisfaction with life, metacognitive beliefs, and sick leave. Reliability and validity were evaluated with Cronbach's α, item and scale correlations, factor analysis (including multigroup analysis), and multiple linear regression analysis. Principal component analysis and exploratory factor analysis were first carried out to identify the number of latent factors. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to assess the model fit of a single latent factor. RESULTS: Analyses supported a single-factor solution. Results showed that the reliability was excellent. The single-factor model was robust, except across levels of distress that did not support scalar invariance. Negative metacognitive beliefs, negative affect, and anxiety were strong covariates demonstrating convergent validity. Negative and weaker correlations with life satisfaction, positive affect, and physical symptoms contributed to the discriminant validity. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the instrument is robust in a population with various degrees of affective symptoms and distress. These results provide additional psychometric support for the RTQ-10 as a transdiagnostic measure. It can be administered online to assess RNT as a risk factor for emotional disorders.

The effect of gender on the outcome of forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden: A case vignette study.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that female violent offenders at risk of a prison sentence are more likely than their male counterparts to be assessed as having mental health problems of a nature or degree that would lead to a court requirement for hospital treatment. AIMS/HYPOTHESES: To test the hypothesis that there is bias towards hospital disposal of female compared with male violent offenders with mental disorder. METHODS: In Sweden, the National Board of Forensic Medicine oversees all assessments of mental disorder for the criminal courts. Twenty-six Board appointed forensic psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers each independently assessed six case vignettes for fit with criteria for 'severe mental disorder', a prerequisite for hospital disposal from court. Each gender neutral vignette described a person who had been convicted of serious assault and had a major mental disorder. A gender was then assigned to each offender randomly within a block design, thus varying between sets. Participants were blind to the main aim of the study and the gender variation. RESULTS: There was no significant association between gender of the person assessed and judgement that s/he had a 'severe mental disorder'. An offender depicted as having mental retardation was more likely to be assessed as at high risk of criminal recidivism if portrayed as female, regardless of the sex, place of work or level of experience of the assessor. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence of gender bias in determining appropriateness of a hospital disposal of an offender with mental disorder. The difference in assessment of recidivism according to sex of the patient was only in relation to mental retardation; further research would be needed to able to interpret this. As researchers in other countries have reported gender bias in disposals from court, our findings may provide support for a centralised forensic psychiatric assessment board and formal, on-going training. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.