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Distress Tolerance Scale: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Among Daily Cigarette Smokers

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Abstract

The present investigation evaluated the factor structure of the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS; Simons and Gaher 2005) among a sample of 173 (54.9% males) daily cigarette smokers (M = 16.64 cigarettes per day, SD = 7.83). Comparison of a single higher-order model and a hierarchical multidimensional model was conducted using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). In addition, evaluation of the internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity of the better-fitting model was completed. CFA of the DTS indicated a single second-order factor of distress tolerance, and four lower-order factors including Tolerance, Appraisal, Absorption, and Regulation; each factor demonstrated acceptable levels of internal consistency. In addition, the DTS displayed good convergent and discriminant validity with theoretically relevant smoking and affect variables. Results are discussed in terms of explicating the latent structure of distress tolerance, as measured by the DTS, within the context of smoking research.

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Notes

  1. Suggested cutoff values for fit indices have varied throughout the years in the interpretation of structural equation model fit. Many fit indices have shown sensitivity to aspects of data including sample size and model parsimony (Hooper et al. 2008). In addition, interpretation of model fit is sometimes hindered by stringent criteria cutoff values (Hooper et al. 2008). To aid in the interpretation of the currently proposed goodness-of-fit was evaluated using both conservative (Brown 2006; Hooper et al. 2008; Hu and Bentler 1999; Kline 2005) and liberal (Anderson and Gerbing 1984; Bentler 1992; Hu and Bentler 1999; MacCallum et al. 1996; Marsh et al. 1988; Wheaton et al. 1977) index cutoffs to better facilitate interpretation of model fit in the event values fall outside the conservative range. Goodness-of-fit was specifically evaluated using the following indices: χ2 (p > .05) (Hu and Bentler 1999), Normed χ2 (NC; Wheaton et al. 1977) of 2.0 (Tabachnick and Fidell 2007) to 5.0 (Wheaton et al. 1977), Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI; Jöreskog and Sörbom 1981) > .95 (Miles and Shevlin 1998) to .85 (Anderson and Gerbing 1984), Adjusted Goodness-of-Fit Index > .95 (Miles and Shevlin 1998) to .8 (Marsh et al. 1988) (AGFI; Jöreskog and Sörbom 1981); Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (Hu and Bentler 1995) < .05 (Byrne 1998) to .1 (Marsh et al. 1988), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA; Steiger 1990) < .06 (Hu and Bentler 1999) to .08 (MaCallum et al. 1996), the Comparative Fit Index (CFI; Bentler 1990) > .95 (Hu and Bentler 1999) to 90 (Bentler 1992), and the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI; Bentler and Bonett 1980) > .95 (Hu and Bentler 1999) to .90 (Bentler and Bonett 1980).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, John Dewey Hall, 2 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05405-0134, USA

    Teresa M. Leyro

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, 31905

    Amit Bernstein

  3. National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA

    Anka A. Vujanovic

  4. Division of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 150 South Huntington Avenue (116B-2), Boston, MA, 02130, USA

    Anka A. Vujanovic

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, 5130A Edwards I, P.O. Box 2120376, Cincinnati, OH, 45221-0376, USA

    Alison C. McLeish

  6. Anxiety and Health Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, John Dewey Hall, 2 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05405-0134, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

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  1. Teresa M. Leyro
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  2. Amit Bernstein
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  3. Anka A. Vujanovic
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  4. Alison C. McLeish
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  5. Michael J. Zvolensky
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Correspondence to Michael J. Zvolensky.

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The current investigation represents novel information and has not been previously presented. The authors declare that they have no competing interests for this research project.

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Leyro, T.M., Bernstein, A., Vujanovic, A.A. et al. Distress Tolerance Scale: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Among Daily Cigarette Smokers. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 33, 47–57 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-010-9197-2

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