Standardization of the Beck Hopelessness Scale in the general population

Background: The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a self-report instrument for the quantification of hopelessness in nonpsychiatric, as well as psychiatric patients. Hopelessness is a key psychological variable in suicide prediction. Until now the psychometric properties of the instrument have not been studied in a representative sample of the general population. Aims: The objectives of the study were to generate normative data and to further investigate the construct validity and factorial structure of the BHS. Methods: A nationally representative face-to-face household survey was conducted in Colombia in 2012 (N = 1500). Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the BHS was 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model, achieving good fit indices (total sample: RMSEA = 0.043, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.921). Normative data for the BHS were generated for both genders and different age levels. Intercorrelations with hopelessness were highest for depression (r = 0.57), followed by anxiety (r = 0.52). Conclusions: The normative data provide a framework for the interpretation and comparisons of the BHS with other populations. Evidence supports reliability and validity of the three-factor BHS as a measure of hopelessness in the general population.