Measuring self-disgust in adolescence: Adaptation and validation of a new instrument for the Portuguese adolescent population

ABSTRACT

Self-disgust is a complex emotion related to feeling aversion or revulsion about internal and personal physical attributes, personality, functioning and behaviours. The aim of the present study was to adapt, validate and examine the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Self-Disgust Scale, in a sample of Portuguese adolescents (MSDS-A). Participants were 540 adolescents (n = 308females, 57%), with ages between 13 and 18 years. Data were analysed through SPSS and MPLUS was used to perform a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess several indicators of psychopathology and self-compassion. Results from the CFA showed that a 4-factor model with a second order factor presented good fit indices. The full scale and its factors showed good internal consistency, adequate temporal stability, and good convergent, divergent and incremental validity. The MSDS-A seems a valid measure to assess self-disgust in adolescents, with important implications to clinical context and research.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescence
• self-disgust
• confirmatory factor analysis
• assessment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

This investigation has been supported by the Ph.D. Grant (grant number: SFRH/BD/129985/2017) of D. Carreiras, sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). All procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Ministry of Education and the National Commission for Data Protection of Portugal (number: 6713/2018) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants and their parents/guardians.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diogo Carreiras

Diogo Carreiras, PhD, is a researcher in Clinical Psychology at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive–Behavioural Intervention, University of Coimbra. He is also a clinical psychologist and his research focuses on the assessment, self-to-self relationship processes, and development of borderline personality disorder in adolescence.

Mariana Guilherme

Mariana Guilherme, MS in Clinical Psychology. She is a clinical psychologist with advanced especialization in psychogerontology and chemical and behavioral additions.

Marina Cunha

Marina Cunha, PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Coimbra. Associate Professor with Aggregation at the Miguel Torga Higher Institute, researcher at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention, with research interests in emotional regulation processes and mindfulness and compassion-based interventions.

Paula Castilho

Paula Castilho, PhD, is an assistant professor at the University of Coimbra. She has extensive clinical practice, she conducts research at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive–Behavioural Intervention mostly focusing evolutionary psychopathology and compassion-focused therapy.