Adaptation française et analyse des qualités psychométriques du questionnaire d’évitement et de fusion (AFQ) dans une population adulte

Abstract

ObjectivesThe transdiagnostic approach of psychological disorders puts forward a set of psychological manifestations that would be responsible for the maintenance and aggravation of certain disorders such as depression, phobia, anxiety or addictive behaviors. One of these symptoms, the experiential avoidance, is characterized by the avoidance of internal events such as thoughts, emotions and sensations, as well as cognitive fusion (taking thoughts as real facts). The latter would engender psychological inflexibility in the individual and some psychological disorders. Tools such as the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire allows to detect this psychological inflexibility. This questionnaire, originally intended for a population of children and adolescents, was adapted and validated in an adult population but not in the French language. Then, we translated it in French and explored its psychometric qualities. Material and methodsOur study sample was composed of one hundred and fifty-six adults from Clermont-Ferrand (Mage=42.86; SD=17.97; Range: [18–80]). They filled out a questionnaire composed by several psychometrics scales, among which the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire (AFQ) and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) were. The internal validity, the factorial structure, the convergent and discriminant validity of the AFQ was explored with the software SPPS. ResultsThe reliability analysis of the french version shows a good internal consistency (α=0.84). The Principal Component Analysis puts forward that the factorial structure of the construct is congruent with previous validations: the scale presents a unique construct. The Principal Componant Analysis (ACP) showed that items are representative of the psychological inflexibility. Finally, the analysis of correlations with supposedly related constructs such as mindfulness (FFMQ), acceptance (AAQ-II), alexithymia (TAS-20) and depression (HAD) attest to the validity of convergence. Finally, some sociodemographics variables such as age or level of study are not linked with the AFQ scores. ConclusionThe AFQ presents good psychometrics properties. Correlations between the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire and particularly the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire show some similarities. This, highlights the relevance to use mindfulness practice to reduce psychological inflexibility and psychological symptoms. These results also support and reinforces the idea that AFQ can be a suitable measure for an adult population. Furthermore, this scale seems to be a relevant complementary tool to research as well as to clinical practice, and can be integrated into new therapies from the “third wave”, like the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.