Abstract
Cognitive models of child psychopathology rarely consider positive schemas in models of risk. This study presents the new
Positive Schema Questionnaire (PSQ) for youth, evaluating relations of positive schema themes to depression, anxiety, and
resilience. Adolescent boys (n = 84) and girls (n = 88), aged 9–14 (M = 11.44), completed the PSQ, and measures of negative schemas, depression, anxiety, and resilience. Exploratory factor analyses
of the PSQ supported a five-factor structure including themes of: Self-Efficacy, Optimism, Trust, Success, and Worthiness.
Supporting its discriminant validity, the PSQ predicted additional variance in depression, anxiety, and resilience, beyond
that predicted by negative schemas. Furthermore, the content specificity model as envisioned for negative schemas, was found
to apply to positive schemas, with themes of Worthiness most predictive of depression and Self-Efficacy most predictive of
anxiety and resilience. Findings have implications for incorporating positive schemas into cognitive models of psychopathology.
Positive Schema Questionnaire (PSQ) for youth, evaluating relations of positive schema themes to depression, anxiety, and
resilience. Adolescent boys (n = 84) and girls (n = 88), aged 9–14 (M = 11.44), completed the PSQ, and measures of negative schemas, depression, anxiety, and resilience. Exploratory factor analyses
of the PSQ supported a five-factor structure including themes of: Self-Efficacy, Optimism, Trust, Success, and Worthiness.
Supporting its discriminant validity, the PSQ predicted additional variance in depression, anxiety, and resilience, beyond
that predicted by negative schemas. Furthermore, the content specificity model as envisioned for negative schemas, was found
to apply to positive schemas, with themes of Worthiness most predictive of depression and Self-Efficacy most predictive of
anxiety and resilience. Findings have implications for incorporating positive schemas into cognitive models of psychopathology.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10608-012-9455-6
- Authors
- L. Keyfitz, Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- M. N. Lumley, Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- K. H. Hennig, Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- D. J. A. Dozois, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Journal Cognitive Therapy and Research
- Online ISSN 1573-2819
- Print ISSN 0147-5916