Refining the Assessment of Hopelessness: An Improved Way to Look to the Future

Abstract

Despite its high sensitivity, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) has demonstrated low specificity, has an ambiguous factor structure, and includes inadequate items. The current study examined the psychometric properties of a modified BHS (mBHS) using a Likert scale format that would allow for improved reliability, validity, and clinical utility. Measures of hopelessness and depression were administered to 116 undergraduates. The mBHS demonstrated reliability over 10 weeks (r = .78) and internal consistency (α = .91). The BHS and mBHS were similarly effective in identifying suicidal ideation. The mBHS provides clinicians with a simple alternative for assessing hopelessness and suicide risk.

Acknowledgments

This research was presented at the 42nd Annual American Association of Suicidality Conference in San Francisco and received the 2009 Student Poster Award.

Notes

Note. Bold items were retained for mBHS analyses.

†Items were reverse scored.

*p < .01. **p < .001.

Note. Alpha was set at p < .005 to control for Type I error. Overall Omnibus F(11, 103) = 4.47, p < 0.001; Wilks' Lambda = 0.65; Partial η² = .32.

*Item 20 was not included in the final, 10-item mBHS.

Note. BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; mBDI = modified BDI; Step 2 ^a  = Step 2 in the first analysis; Step 2 ^b  = Step 2 in the second analysis.