Psychometric Properties of the Breakup Distress Scale in Students
Keywords:
romantic breakup, breakup distress scale, reliability, validityAbstract
Objective: The present study aims to determine the psychometric properties of the Breakup Distress Scale (BDS).
Methodology: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive correlational research. The statistical population included all students with breakup experiences in the city of Sari, from which 406 students were selected as the sample through convenience sampling. The tools used in this study were the Breakup Distress Scale (BDS), the Love Trauma Inventory (LTI), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire 18-item version (CERQ-18), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire 10-item version (AAQ-II), and the 10-item Repetitive Thoughts Questionnaire (RTQ-10). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24, employing statistical methods including Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Findings: The results showed that the Breakup Distress Scale had a unidimensional structure and a high internal consistency coefficient of 0.94. Additionally, the test-retest reliability coefficient was found to be 0.81. Furthermore, this tool showed significant positive correlations with the Love Trauma Inventory, the Repetitive Thoughts Questionnaire, the maladaptive subscale of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the emotional experience avoidance subscale of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. It also showed a significant negative correlation with the adaptive subscale of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the life control subscale of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, confirming its convergent and discriminant validity.
Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the Breakup Distress Scale appears to have good reliability and validity in the Iranian population and can serve as a useful tool for measuring the intensity of emotional distress caused by breakup.
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