A Psychometric Evaluation of the Dutch Version of the Responses to Positive Affect Questionnaire

Abstract

In 698 respondents selected from the community, the authors examined the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Responses to Positive Affect questionnaire (RPA; Feldman, Joormann, & Johnson, 2008) which measures ruminative and dampening thoughts in response to positive affect. In a first sample ('n' = 170), exploratory factor analyses largely replicated the 3-factor model obtained by Feldman et al. (2008) with the following factors: Dampening, Self-focused positive rumination, and Emotion-focused positive rumination. The 3-factor model revealed in the first sample was confirmed using confirmatory factor analyses in a second independent sample of 528 respondents. All subscales showed adequate internal consistency and evidence of convergent and incremental validity with concurrent measures of depressive rumination, depressive symptoms, trait hypomania, and positive and negative affect. Results underscore the value of assessing responses to positive as well as negative affect in the study of mood disorders.