A psychometric evaluation of Iranian version of the Responses to Positive Affect (RPA) questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Despite the existence of the large body of studies demonstrating cognitive responses to negative mood, cognitive responses to positive mood have received relatively less attention. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Responses to Positive Affect (RPA) questionnaire in Iranian population. Methods: Using purposive sampling and a cross-sectional design, 499 participants of a community sample of Tehran, Iran during 2016 - 2017 responded to RPA, Ruminative Response Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. Data was analyzed using SPSS 23 and AMOS 23. Results: Exploratory factor analysis yielded 2 factors (positive rumination and dampening) which accounted for 47.84% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis results showed a very good fit to the data as χ2 = 135.51, df = 82, χ2/df = 1.65, P < 0.001, CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.03. Results of convergent validity showed that there are significant negative correlations between positive rumination and reflection, depression and generalized anxiety symptoms and significant positive correlations between dampening and brooding, reflection, depression, social phobia and generalized anxiety symptoms. Results of incremental validity analyses revealed that RPA subscales accounted for significant variance in depressive symptoms above and beyond brooding and reflection. Test retest reliability of positive rumination and dampening were 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. Conclusions: Responses to Positive Affect questionnaire demonstrates acceptable validity and reliability in Iranian population. Further research is needed to assess RPA in various clinical samples.