Şükrü Alperen Korkmaz, İlkay Keleş Altun, Serap Sağbaş, Fatmagül Eda Köksalan, Murat İlhan Atagün
Introduction: Cognitive biases can be defined as dysfunctional patterns of thought formation that lead to incorrect conclusions and abnormal perceptions and are critical factors in the development and maintenance of psychosis. Two self-report measures assessing cognitive biases in psychosis spectrum disorder (PSD) have recently been developed: the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS) and the Cognitive Biases Questionnaire for Psychosis (CBQp). This study aimed to validate the Turkish versions of the DACOBS and CBQp.
Methods: The sample consisted of 171 patients with PSD and 162 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). We investigated I) the factor structure with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), II) the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), III) discriminative power, IV) convergent validity, and V) the concurrent validity of DACOBS and CBQp.
Results: The 7-factor solution for DACOBS, similar to the original study, and the 5-factor solution for CBQp provided the best fit. DACOBS and CBQp total and their subscale scores showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. DACOBS and CBQp total and their subscale scores could differentiate between PSD patients and HCs when controlling for age, sex, and education. DACOBS and CBQp showed a positively moderate correlation. DACOBS and CBQp scores were associated with psychotic symptoms in PSD patients and positive psychic experiences in HCs.
Conclusions: Both the DACOBS and the CBQp have good psychometric properties and are suitable instruments for assessing cognitive biases in the Turkish population. The Turkish versions of the DACOBS and CBQp were as reliable and valid as the original.
