Confirmatory factor analysis of the dysfunctional attitude scale in a student sample

Beck, Brown, Steer and Weissman (1991) factor analyzed the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) in a clinical population, developing nine subscales thought to measure specific cognitive vulnerabilities to depression. As the DAS is often used in research using student populations, the present study sought to confirm whether the Beck et al. factors generalize to student samples. Confirmatory factor analysis of the nine-factor Beck et al. model was performed on DAS responses given by 866 undergraduates. The Beck et al. factor. structure was not replicated in the student sample. Principal-axis factoring of these data, as well as results of other factor-analytic studies of the DAS, suggests that three subscales are appropriate for student samples. One combines Beck et al.'s first, third, and seventh factors, one combines Beck et al.'s second and ninth factors, and one replicates Beck et al.'s fifth factor.