Discrimination of Mood Regulation Expectancies from Dysphoria: Confirmatory Factor Analytic Findings

Abstract

The Generalized Expectancy for Negative Mood Regulation (NMR) Scale measures beliefs that one can terminate a negative mood; it presumably is related to, but different from, depression. Previous studies have provided strong evidence that scores on the NMR Scale are correlated with measures of depressive symptoms. However, only indirect evidence of the discriminant validity of the NMR Scale from depression measures exists. A large sample of college students (N = 1,177) was administered the NMR Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Two alternative confirmatory factor models were tested using LISREL 7. An oblique two-factor model posited that components of the NMR Scale and the BDI loaded on separate, correlated factors; a single factor model posited that all components of both scales loaded on one general factor. The oblique two-factor model fit the data well, while the single factor model fit poorly. These results are consistent with the proposed relationship of NMR expectancies with depression (correlated but different) and support the discriminant validity of the NMR Scale from the BDI. Together with previous findings, the present study adds to the construct validity of the NMR Scale. Directions for further validation studies and for examination of the causal structure of relations between NMR expectancies and depressive symptoms are discussed.