Lina María Correa, Javier Mauricio Bianchi Salguero
La Escala de Activación Conductual para Depresión, versión corta (BADS-SF), evalúa los factores de cambio producto de la intervención de la activación conductual en la depresión.
Tiene dos dimensiones: Activación, actividades dirigidas y enfocadas en valores, y Evitación, disminución e intentos de eliminación de pensamientos y sentimientos aversivos. El objetivo de esta investigación fue confirmar la estructura interna de la BADS-SF y recoger evidencias de su relación con otras variables en una muestra de cuidadores (n = 133) y no cuidadores (n = 171) de la ciudad de Bogotá. Se realizaron análisis psicométricos para dar cuenta de la confiabilidad y evidencias de validez de la estructura interna y de la relación con otras variables. Se obtuvieron buenos coeficientes alfa y omega de McDonald para la escala completa y para la dimensión Activación; sin embargo, para Evitación fueron pobres. Se confirmó la estructura bidimensional y se reporta una de segundo orden, que fue invariante en relación con el sexo.
Los puntajes tuvieron correlaciones en la dirección esperada y significativas (p < .001) con Sintomatología depresiva, ansiosa y de estrés, Burnout (Cinismo, Desgaste Emocional y Eficacia Profesional) y variables transdiagnósticas afines (Inflexibilidad Psicológica, Supresores Ambientales y Recompensa Ambiental). La BADS-SF presentó buenas propiedades psicométricas, relacionadas con su confiabilidad y evidencias de validez, que corroboran su utilidad para dar cuenta de la activación y la evitación. Se recomienda la calificación total que evalúa la Activación General y se confirmó la versión de ocho ítems sugerida previamente en estudios en Colombia.
Caregivers invest time in taking care of one or more people and lead responsibilities of life from their patients based on the degree of functional dependence. The caregiving role is linked to changes in physical, cognitive, psychological, and social health. Behavioral Activation is one of the effective treatment alternatives for alleviating depressive symptoms, including the caregiver population, and is considered the main ingredient of transdiagnostic therapies. The Short Version of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS-SF) assesses the change factors resulting from Behavioral Activation intervention in Depression. It has two dimensions: Activation, which evaluates activities directed and focused on values, and Avoidance, aimed at identifying the reduction and attempts to eliminate aversive thoughts and feelings. The objective of this research was to confirm the internal structure of the BADS-SF and gather evidence of its relationship with other variables in a sample of caregivers (n = 133) and non-caregivers (n = 171) from the city of Bogotá. The analyses were conducted and accounted for reliability (estimation of Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega internal consistency coefficients), item discrimination (item-total and item-dimension correlations), as well as evidence of validity of the internal structure (Confirmatory Factor Analysis CFA and invariance according to sex) and the relationship with depressive, anxious and stress symptomatology, Burnout (Cynicism, Emotional Exhaustion, and Professional Efficacy), and related transdiagnostic variables (Psychological Inflexibility, Environmental Suppressors, and Environmental Reward). The complete scale presented good internal consistency coefficients for alpha (α = .79) and McDonald's omega (ω = .80) and good ones for the Activation dimension (α = .86; ω = .86); however, for Avoidance, they were questionable (α = .65; ω = .62). Item 8 presented low discrimination indices (item-total and item-dimension correlations < .3), and its removal increased internal consistency (α and ω values equal to .83). The CFA confirmed the two-dimensional structure, and the two-factor model with the elimination of item 8 showed excellent fit indices, as did the two-factor model with the elimination of item 8 plus a second-order factor (CFI, TLI, NFI, and IFI values greater than .95 and RMSEA values less than .05). Additionally, it was found that the factorial structure is invariant with respect to sex.
The total scores of the BADS-SF had moderate to large correlations (greater than .41) in the expected direction and were significant (p < .001) with scores from the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale -DASS-21- (depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms), Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey -MBI-GS- (cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and professional efficacy), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire -AAQ-II- (psychological inflexibility), and Reward Probability Index -RPI- (environmental suppressors and environmental reward). This study provided new evidence of the internal structure and relationship with other variables of the BADS-SF in a population of caregivers and non-caregivers in the city of Bogotá, which confirms its use in the Colombian population given its good psychometric properties, corroborating its usefulness for evaluating the degree of activation and avoidance. The total score (General Activation) is recommended, as well as the suggestion of the creators of the scale. The scores of the instruments in the samples of caregivers and non-caregivers are discussed, which do not support the literature reports of measurements in scenarios prior to the Covid-19 pandemic; the findings of the avoidance dimension and the elimination of item 8 are also discussed.