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The Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS) is a self-report measure of perceived capacity to withstand aversive emotions. Initial factor analysis of this measure suggested a structure comprising one higher-order factor and four lower-order domain-specific factors. However, there is limited evidence in support of the DTS's purported multidimensionality, and despite use of the DTS subscales, research has yet to assess their incremental utility. The current investigation sought to rectify the paucity of evidence in support of the DTS's factor structure and independent use of DTS subscales via bifactor analysis. In the present study ( N = 826 community adults), a bifactor model of the DTS provided the best fit to the data. However, an examination of statistical indices associated with bifactor modeling, as well as results from an examination of incremental utility, suggest that the domain-specific factors are largely redundant with the general factor and do not provide incremental utility in predicting relevant clinical constructs beyond the general factor. Measurement invariance between sexes was confirmed. Taken together, results support use of a DTS total score, but not subscale scores.

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004 ) is a self-report measure that assesses six facets of emotion dysregulation. A modified version of the DERS (M-DERS) was developed to address psychometric limitations of the original measure (Bardeen, Fergus, Hannan, & Orcutt, 2016 ). Although the factor structure of the M-DERS (i.e., two models: correlated trait and second-order models) has been supported via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the tenability of a bifactor model of the M-DERS has yet to be examined. Preliminary research suggests that a bifactor model of the M-DERS is tenable. In this study (Ns of 993 and 578), results from a series of CFAs indicated adequate fit of the M-DERS and poor fit of the original DERS across several tested models (e.g., correlated trait, second-order, bifactor). Although a considerable amount of variance was accounted for by the general factor, statistical indexes from the bifactor model supported a multidimensional conceptualization of the M-DERS. The Nonacceptance and Goals subscales evidenced incremental utility, after accounting for the general factor, in predicting general distress (Nonacceptance only) and intolerance of uncertainty. Implications for future use of the DERS and M-DERS are discussed.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is characterized by negative beliefs and reactions to uncertainty. IU is present in emotional disorders and may be a mechanism of change in treatment . There are two components of IU, prospective and inhibitory IU, that may be differentially associated with outcome. The current study tested associations between pre- and post-treatment changes in the components of IU, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and treatment outcome in a large diagnostically heterogeneous partial hospital sample. Results suggested that social anxiety disorder was associated with greater pre-treatment prospective and inhibitory IU scores than those without the diagnosis. Results also showed that inhibitory IU predicted change in anxiety and depression symptoms and prospective IU and depression reductions predicted improvements in overall psychological health and psychological inflexibility. Only change in depression predicted improvement in interpersonal relationships throughout treatment. Clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

The Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI), a 60-item self-report measure, assesses the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Hexaflex. The factor structure of the MPFI was examined in this study. In a community sample of adults ( N = 827), four models (correlated six-factor, one-factor, higher order, and bifactor) were tested for each of the constructs of interest (i.e., psychological flexibility and psychological inflexibility). All models, with the exception of the one-factor, provided adequate fit to the data. Differences between the three adequate fitting models were trivial in magnitude. Additional statistical indices from the bifactor models indicated that the general factors accounted for the large majority of reliable variance. The majority of the domain-specific factors evidenced redundancy with their respective general factors. Results from a series of structural regressions indicated that the domain-specific factors did not provide additional incremental utility above and beyond the general factors in predicting two relevant clinical constructs (i.e., health anxiety and depression). These results provide support for the use of the MPFI Flexibility and Inflexibility total scores, but not subscale scores. The MPFI may require further refinement to either greatly reduce the length of the measure, or to ensure that subscales have incremental utility.