Evaluating the psychometric properties of the attitudes towards depression and its treatments scale in an Australian sample

Figures & data

Table 1 Means (standard deviations) for each item on the attitudes towards depression scale for the present sample (n = 203) and the sample reported on by Gabriel and Violato¹⁷ (n = 63) with the results of t-tests comparing the samples

Item	M (SD)		t	p	d
	Present Sample	Gabriel and Violato
1. Depression is a legitimate medical disorder	4.2 (1.0)	1.4 (1.0)	20.02	0.001	2.86
2. I think that depression is a weakness of character	1.9 (1.0)	2.4 (1.6)	−2.97	0.003	−0.37
3. Depression is due to being mentally ill	2.9 (1.1)	3.1 (1.5)	−1.15	0.250	−0.15
4. I think that depression could be due to a chemical imbalance in the brain	3.8 (0.9)	1.7 (1.2)	15.20	0.001	2.00
5. Depression is just due to feeling sorry for oneself	2.0 (1.0)	2.3 (1.4)	−1.88	0.060	−0.25
6. I cannot tell anyone that I suffer from depression	2.4 (1.1)	2.5 (1.4)	−0.59	0.550	−0.08
7. I am not alone; many others suffer from depression	4.2 (0.8)	1.7 (1.0)	19.69	0.001	2.70
8. People avoid talking to me because I am depressed	2.3 (1.0)	2.4 (1.4)	−0.63	0.530	−0.08
9. People in the community see me as dangerous	1.7 (0.9)	2.2 (1.7)	−2.98	0.003	−0.36
10. I feel less ashamed, since I learned more about the illness	3.3 (1.1)	2.1 (1.3)	7.23	0.001	0.99
11. I would not take antidepressants as a first line of treatment	2.7 (1.0)	2.7 (1.6)	0.00	1.00	0.00
12. Psychiatric medications are harmful	3.5 (1.3)	2.0 (1.3)	2.66	0.008	0.38
13. I will consider antidepressants only if my symptoms are out of control	3.5 (1.1)	3.5 (1.7)	0.00	1.00	0.00
14. Antidepressants are habit-forming	2.5 (1.0)	2.3 (1.3)	1.32	0.180	0.17
15. Antidepressants make me lose control	3.5 (1.0)	1.9 (1.2)	10.56	0.001	1.45
16. I will take antidepressants, if my doctor is confident about them	3.6 (1.3)	1.7 (1.0)	10.65	0.001	1.64
17. I will not accept Electric Shock Treatment for my depression even if it is necessary	4.1 (1.0)	3.1 (1.4)	6.26	0.001	0.82
18. I will consider psychotherapy as a first choice for my depression	3.5 (1.0)	2.8 (1.4)	4.38	0.001	0.57
19. I prefer psychotherapy in combination with my antidepressants	3.5 (1.1)	2.0 (1.1)	9.46	0.001	1.36
20. I believe that psychotherapy, or “talk therapy”, is always useful on its own	2.0 (1.1)	2.6 (1.2)	−3.70	0.003	−0.52
21. I prefer to see my family physician if I feel depressed	3.0 (1.1)	4.0 (1.3)	−6.02	0.001	−0.83
22. I would ask to see a psychiatrist if I am depressed	3.2 (1.1)	1.8 (1.0)	9.01	0.001	1.33
23. Psychiatrists are not really helpful for depressed persons	2.3 (0.9)	2.0 (1.4)	2.04	0.042	0.26
24. I will seek help from a psychiatrist if I have doubt about medication	3.6 (0.9)	1.7 (1.2)	13.08	0.001	1.76
25. I would seek help for my depression only from significant others in my life	2.5 (1.1)	2.0 (1.3)	3.01	0.002	0.42

Table 2 A comparison of Cronbach’s alpha for the ATDT subscales and the total scale for the present sample (n = 203), the subsample who reported having received a diagnosis of depression (n = 66) and the sample reported on by Gabriel and Violato (n = 63)

Scale	Present sample (n = 203)	Depressed subsample (n = 66)	Gabriel and Violato (2009) (n = 63)
ATDat	0.65	0.41	0.76
ATDpss	0.42	0.38	0.76
ATDnaa	0.50	0.49	0.78
ATDss	0.06	0.01	0.64
ATDpp	0.18	0.32	0.58
Total scale	0.63	0.57	0.79

Abbreviations: ATDat, acceptance of treatment; ATDpss, perceived stigma and shame; ATDnaa, negative attitude towards antidepressants; ATDss, self stigma; ATDpp, preference for psychotherapy.

GabrielAViolatoCThe development and psychometric assessment of an instrument to measure attitudes towards depression and its treatments in patients suffering from non-psychotic depressionJ Affect Disord2010124324124919944465

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