Date of Award

1989

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Clinical.

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (Weissman, 1979) is purported to measure the idiosyncratic cognitive schemas hypothesized by Beck (1967) to be involved in depression. Swan (1988) reduced this scale to develop a 20 item rapid assessment instrument (DAS-20). The purpose of the present study was to validate the DAS-20 in a clinical population. The DAS-20 was administered along with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) to three subject groups (Depressive Disorder patients, Panic Disorder patients, and normal controls). For clinical subjects, scores on the DAS-20 were found to be most highly related to depressive symptomatology, as measured by the BDI (r =.51). Control subjects' DAS-20 scores were most highly related to the confusion scale of the POMS (r =.56). The DAS-20 discriminated between clinical and control groups, but not between the two clinical groups themselves. It was concluded that in clinical populations dysfunctional attitudes, as measured by the DAS-20, are primarily related to syndrome depression rather than nosological Depressive Disorders.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1990 .T933. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 30-03, page: 0892. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1989.

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