Efficiently Assessing Negative Cognition in Depression: An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale Christopher G. Beevers University of Texas at Austin David R. Strong Brown University and Butler Hospital Bjo¨rn Meyer City University, London Paul A. Pilkonis University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Ivan W. Miller Brown University and Butler Hospital Despite a central role for dysfunctional attitudes in cognitive theories of depression and the widespread use of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, form A (DAS-A; A. Weissman, 1979), the psychometric development of the DAS-A has been relatively limited. The authors used nonparametric item response theory methods to examine the DAS-A items and develop a briefer version of the scale. Using DAS-A data obtained from depressed participants enrolled in 2 large depression treatment studies (N = 367), the authors developed a 9-item DAS form (DAS-SF 1 ). In addition, because 2 versions of the DAS are needed for certain study designs, they also developed a 2nd short version (DAS-SF 2 ). These short forms were highly correlated with the original 40-item DAS-A (rs ranged from .91 to .93), exhibited change similar to that of the DAS-A over the course of treatment, were moderately correlated with related self-report assessments, predicted concurrent depression severity, and predicted change in depression from before to after treatment. Taken together, the authors believe the DAS-SF 1 and DAS-SF 2 provide an efficient and accurate assessment of dysfunctional attitudes among depressed individuals. Keywords: cognitive, short form, depression, dysfunctional attitudes, item response theory A central tenet of cognitive theory of depression is that dys- functional attitudes have a critical etiologic role for vulnerability to depression (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). Individuals who endorse dysfunctional attitudes are thought to be at increased risk for depression onset (e.g., Alloy et al., 2006; Segal, Gemar, & Williams, 1999). Further, elevations in dysfunctional attitudes are thought to maintain an episode and are often central targets of intervention during cognitive– behavioral treatment. Consistent with these ideas, numerous studies have observed high levels of dysfunctional attitudes among people diagnosed with unipolar depression (e.g., Dent & Teasdale, 1988; Norman, Miller, & Dow, 1988). Dysfunctional attitudes are often assessed with the Dysfunc- tional Attitude Scale (DAS; Weissman, 1979). The DAS was Christopher G. Beevers, Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin; David R. Strong, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, and Addictions Research, Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island; Bjo¨rn Meyer, Department of Psychology, City University, London, London, England; Paul A. Pilkonis, Department of Psychiatry, West- ern Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Ivan W. Miller, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, and Psychosocial Research Program, Butler Hospital. Research reported in this article was supported in part by several National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grants. Research conducted at Butler Hospital and Brown Medical School was supported by NIMH Grant MH43866; Ivan W. Miller was the principal investigator. Research conducted as part of the NIMH Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program was part of a multisite program initiated and sponsored by the NIMH Psy- chosocial Treatments Research Branch. The program was funded by cooper- ative agreements to six sites: George Washington University, MH33762; University of Pittsburgh, MH33753; University of Oklahoma, MH33760; Yale University, MH33827; Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, MH38231; and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, MH35017. The principal NIMH collaborators were Irene Elkin, coordinator; Tracie Shea, associate coordinator; John P. Docherty; and Morris B. Parloff. The principal investigators and project coordinators at the three research sites were Stuart M. Sotsky and David Glass (George Washington University), Stanley D. Imber and Paul A. Pilkonis (University of Pittsburgh), and John T. Watkins and William Leber (University of Oklahoma). The principal investigators and project coordinators at the three sites responsible for training therapists were Myrna Weissman, Eve Chevron, and Bruce J. Rounsaville (Yale University); Brian F. Shaw and T. Michael Vallis (Clarke Institute of Psychiatry); and Jan A. Fawcett and Phillip Epstein (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Cen- ter). Collaborators in the data management and data analysis aspects of the program were C. James Klett, Joseph F. Collins, and Roderic Gillis of the Veterans Administration Cooperative Studies Program, Perry Point, Maryland. We thank Aaron T. Beck for allowing us to reproduce items from the original Dysfunctional Attitude Scale. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Christo- pher G. Beevers, Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A8000, Austin, TX 78712-0187. E-mail: beevers@psy.utexas.edu Psychological Assessment Copyright 2007 by the American Psychological Association 2007, Vol. 19, No. 2, 199 –209 1040-3590/07/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/1040-3590.19.2.199 199