Dimensionality and validity of the Committed Action Questionnaire (CAQ-8) in a chronic pain and university student population

Abstract

The Committed Action Questionnaire (CAQ-8) assesses the construct of committed action drawn from the Psychological Flexibility (PF) model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Despite the centrality of committed action in the PF model, there is no instrument available to assess committed action for French-speaking researchers and clinicians working with ACT. In addition, past studies on the CAQ-8 have mostly been conducted mostly among chronic pain populations limiting the use of the CAQ-8 to a specific context and population. The aim of this study was to validate a French version of the CAQ-8 in a chronic pain population and to extend the use of the CAQ-8 in a non-clinical population. This study includes analyses of the reliability, as well as the construct, convergent, concurrent, and incremental validities of the French CAQ-8 in two independent populations. The first sample was comprised of 716 participants from the community living with chronic pain symptoms. The second sample consisted of 405 university students. Results from competing confirmatory factor analyses models suggest that the CAQ-8 assess two distinct and meaningful constructs. Moreover, results showed support on the convergent, concurrent, and incremental validities of the French CAQ-8. Finally, reliability analyses revealed a good internal consistency of the scale. Overall, the French CAQ-8 constitutes a short valid and reliable instrument to assess committed action drawn from the conceptual framework of ACT in clinical and non-clinical populations.