Validation of the psychometric properties of acceptance and action questionnaire-II in clinical and nonclinical groups of portuguese population

• Autor(a) principal: Costa, Joana
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Maroco, João, Gouveia, José Augusto Pinto, Galhardo, Ana
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/3311
• topic: Experiential avoidance; One-factor model; Factorial invariance; Clinical and nonclinical groups

This study explores the factor structure of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) in both clinical and general normative groups. It also examines the factorial invariance of a one-factor proposed model in both groups. Data was collected from the overall database of a Portuguese Cognitive and Behavioral Research Center (N= 687, 425 females; mean age= 36 years; SD= 11.33). Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a one-factor structure with good internal consistencies and construct related validity. The one-factor solution was also supported with a second independent data set, which showed a configural, strict measurement and structural invariance of the one-factor solution proposed. Multigroup Confirmatory Factorial Analysis showed the configural invariance, weak measurement invariance and also structural invariance of the one-factor model of Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II across both groups under study. The one-factor model have both similar meanings and the same structure, but the measurement model in clinical and nonclinical groups was not the same. Toxic influences of experiencial avoidance as a core mechanism in the development and maintenance of several clinical disorders, may explain why the AAQ-II does not operate equivalently across clinical and nonclinical groups.